As live horsepower is the form of energy we use to pull our buggies, a few words of caution in the use and treatment of horses is in order. Let us remember that a horse is a living being. If you treat him right, your horse will be your willing servant and will take you many miles to school, to church, to town, or to visit friends and relatives. In time, your horse may become more than a servant. He may become a trusted companion.
While the driver of a car has only to keep his vehicle and himself under control, the horse buggy driver must also control an animal, with a mind of its own, that weighs ten times as much as the driver.
A horse has been described as “a large mass of nerve endings connected to a small brain.” Your horse cannot reason or understand the way you do. Things that seem simple to you may frighten or confuse the horse. Try to see potential problems before you arrive at them and think of how your horse may react.
While each horse has its own personality and must be handled accordingly, it is also true that a horse’s reaction to certain situations is often the result of previous experiences. Therefore, if a horse has had a bad experience, it will probably take awhile (maybe the rest of his life) for him to forget it.
Knowing that we must break young horses to drive, let us remember not to use them in heavy traffic areas until they have had experience in lighter traffic and are considered safe. You as the driver are responsible for your horse and you must be able to control him, to stop and stand as needed.
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