j^gg ON THE BKEEDING OF HORSES. 



after care can atone for neglect during the first twelve months. 

 Good pasture (mountain if possible) the next season and plenty of 

 hay the next winter, with a quart of grain if convenient, will bring 

 you a finely formed, powerful two year old. If a horse, alter him 

 eai'ly before fly time, and turn to good grass. In the fall begin to 

 break, by bitting gradually tighter each day — within two weeks you 

 have his head as high and graceful as nature allows. The neck 

 should be arched and the face vertical, without constraint. When 

 the bitting is accomplished, put on your harness and let the straps 

 dangle around his legs ; continue this until he pays no attention to 

 them, but do not fatigue the colt either in the bitting bridle or har- 

 ness. The bending in of the neck is exceedingly painful and should 

 be done by degrees, the work requiring two weeks. While in the 

 bitting bridle, exercise him on a circle to the right and left, alter- 

 nately, the radius never less than 10 to 15 feet, otherwise he will 

 learn to step too short. Make him walk, and walk/as^ while walk- 

 ing ; no gait is more important, and our Agricultural Society 

 should oifer premiums for fast walkers. While harnessed, accus- 

 tom the colt to wagons, sulkies, &c., by running them around and 

 about him. Then harness to the sulky and lead him several days 

 until he no longer notices the pushing or jostling of the vehicle. 

 Then let one get in while another leads, and so gradually get him 

 accustomed to all around him ; on finding he is not hurt he will 

 soon become quiet. Occasionally harness double, with a steady, 

 quiet horse, but put on no load. Teach him to back by standing 

 in front and pressing on the bit — calling out " back," &c. Always 

 caress when he has done his duty. During the second winter hitch 

 in double, making the other horse draw all the weight and drive 

 for a short distance (say one-quarter of a mile at a time) alter- 

 nately, fast and slow. Train your colts to three gaits in harness, 

 the fast walk always, the moderate or road gait for distance, and 

 the rapid trot. As if we desired to make a man a good dancer, 

 we would begin young, while the limbs were nimble and the ac- 

 tions graceful — so if we desire a fast walker and a fast trotter too, 

 we must take the colt while young, and so, when pressed, he will 

 take up the fist trot, instead of the gallop, so natural in after years. 

 A horse can be trained that he is to trot and not break up, as well 

 as the boy can that he is to glide but never jump in the waltz. 

 We do not pretend that all horses will learn to trot equally fast, 

 more than all the boys dance equally well, but all can be trained 



