Independently of ordinary and general restiveness, there are certain vices, peculiar to individual horses, of a very annoying character, and productive of very unpleasant consequences both to the animal and his owner. But Restiveness is, after all, the great and giant evil of horses. It sometimes manifests itself by the animal standing stockstill, sometimes by backing, and sometimes by rearing instead of taking the weight. Generally the cause of it is, they are spoiled by their breakers. Sometimes a farmer will breed his draught-horses with a strain of blood, in which cases they have too much spirit for a steady dead pull. Generally, however, it is violent and brutal treatment in breaking which ruins the horse. Sometimes they are restive in riding. On this the author of “Hints on Horsemanship” says— “A common error, both in theory and practice, exists with regard to the restive horse.

He is apt to rear sideways against the nearest wall or paling. It is supposed that he does so with a view of rubbing his rider off. I do not give him credit for intellect sufficient to generate such a scheme. It is that, when there, the common practice is to pull his head from the wall. This brings the rider’s knee in contact with it; consequently, all further chastisement ceases, for were the rider to make his horse plunge, his knee would be crushed against the wall. The horse, finding this, probably thinks it is the very thing desired, and he will always again fly to a wall for shelter. Instead of from the wall, let the rider pull his head towards it, so as to place his eye, instead of your eye, against it; continue to use the spur, and he will never go near a wall again.”