NEGLECTED EDUCATION OF THE HORSE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2600, 7 August 1882, Page 3

NEGLECTED EDUCATION OF THE HORSE.

When we reflect that the very yeung colt has not learned to icare at objects and sounds that will frighten an old horse, wa can only conclude that lessons npon the horse have a double action. First, he learns to take fright at sights and sounds; then he is made, in a measure, to forget these lessons by being convinced that certain things imagined by him to be dangerous are entirely harmless. If this version be oorreot, then how much easier to habituate the horse, from early oolthood up, to such sounds and objects as are known to be common sources of fright to the horse.

The reason of the horse becoming startled at certain unusual things when he comes upon them suddenly, or if they come upon him. without warning, is that they are unexpected ; and the fault in his education lies in the fact that we fail to acouatom him to sights and sounds which we know he will be exposed to when driven upon the street or road. The very young colt accepts what he is ushered into the presence of, and has no idea of having enemies to guard against. The grown up horses about him become afraid of the senseless groom, and spring forward in their stalls or boxes when he comes near with a whip or pitchfork in band. The young colt partakes of the fear, and from that moment is on the lookout for danger. When he goes to the pasture with his dam, it is to be in company with the notably timid horse of the farm, the one that the mischievous boys always delight in starting on the run. The timid horse elevates his head and tail, gives his warning snort, and the whole herd, including the sucking colt, obey the signal—the relic of the wild state —and from that moment the young oolt is taught to look out for danger. The dam driven upon the road with the colt by her side is given to shying. The colt, having no suspicions before, now learns to look upon the bush, stump, flag, or whatever else its dam shows fear of, as a dangerous object, a thing to be avoided. Signals are peculiar to the domesticated state, as to the state of wildness, and when the dam circles away from the bush or stump, she gives the oolt the signal of danger, and from that moment the oolt learns to scare when on the road.

If the whip is used, then the colt, through the sudden springs of its dam, is doubly impressed with the idea of danger. On returning, as remembering localities is one ef the strongest traits of intelligence in the horse, both mare and colt, as they near the spot where the imaginary danger is, will prepare for the usual quick movement to one tide, and will be in an expectant state for the whip. So, as the mare is taught the oolt also learns. Its education begins when its eyes first see the light, and its ears first hear a sound. If the mare is made to stop quietly at the first intimation that she is about to shy, and induced quietly to approach the objeet, neither harsh word nor whip being used, she is not only disarmed of fear of the obje-.t, but the oolt is prevented from taking alarm, and the danger of falling into a very bad habit is avoided.

We all know that early impressions made upon the child, if at all startling, are rarely, if ever, entirely effaced. The sentiment of fear is more natural to the oolt than to the child, and fear in the oolt is blind and unreasoning ; not necessarily so, but made so by neglect in his education; for all men know, or at any rate should know, that the horse of average intelligence is quite as capable of remembering lessons that are given him with care as some men are. We often hoar it said of children that they have bean ruined in thoir education. We rarely hear this said of a horse; yet it is as often true of the latter as of the former.

Intelligence and traotability should be as steadily required of the horse used as a sire, as size or good breeding ; for a vicious stallion gives more or lees of this damaging trait to all his get. Bad temper is sometimes so fixed in the animal as to be beyond the power of man to eradicate it, or even to keep it under fair control. But in the case of a colt of fair disposition and average intelligence, there is hardly any emergency liable to arise in ordinary driving, team, or farm work, that he will not face without fear, or danger of doing harm, if he has been properly handled from the start. A spirited horse, if be has been properly taught, will go down hill without holdbacks, allowing the crossbar to press against his thighs ; while without the training, he will run away if a single strap gets loose or disarranged. In the one case we educate the horse as we do the boy, that wo may render him valuable through his understanding, and the knowledge of the duties we expect him to perform ; while in the other wo take the untrained horse, put him in places of trust, and then blame him because he does not perform duties which he can only fully understand through training, and cannot by any possibility know the first rudiments of through instinct.