108 THE ORANGE COUNTY 



Having weathered the second winter, the education of the 

 farmer's horse may be pursued. He may be bitted. How 

 much depends upon the application of this little coercive in- 

 strument, the bit ! The first bit should always be a large 

 one. It may be contrived so as not to hurt the mouth in the 

 slightest degree. The colt may be permitted to champ and 

 play with it an hour or two at a time, for a few successive 

 days. Then portions of the harness may be put upon him; 

 and, by-and-by, the winkers; and, a little after that, he may 

 go as centre horse in a team of three. If he has been kindly 

 an d well-managed, it is a great chance if he does not go 

 quietly enough, and, in a day or two, begin to pull with the 

 rest. Not many days need to pass before the most difficult 

 of all the manoeuvres of the cart, the backing, is tried; and it 

 will succeed oftener than they who see the horrible cruelties 

 that are inflicted on the mouth of the horse would think to be 

 possible. The author of this sketch is not advocating the 

 humoring and spoiling of the horse, but he is showing how 

 many lessons may be inculcated by patience and kindness, 

 which brute force will fail to accomplish. 



The breaking being accomplished, the management of 

 the horse will vary according to his breed and destination; 

 but the good usage of our domesticated slaves should be 

 regarded as a principle that ought never to be violated. The 

 agricultural horse is seldom over-worked, and en large farms 

 is generally well fed; perhaps, in many cases, too much 

 above his work. This, however, is an error on the right side. 



There are many acts of cruelty committed in the farmer's 

 stable, resulting more from carelessness and thoughtlessness 

 than absolute brutality. In almost every stable there is some 

 horse more powerful or greedy than his neighbors, who robs 

 them of the greater part of their share of the food. The 

 victims are usually either old or young horses with imperfect 

 mouths. The farmer's stable should be oftener divided into 

 separate stalls than it usually is. The simple bails afford a 

 very insufficient security against the thefts of a greedy neigh- 

 bor. The farmer would certainly reap the advantage of this 

 altered plan in the increased health of some of his team, and 

 their increased capability of labor. 



Connected with this is another circumstance, with regard 

 to which the farmer should be always on the alert the 

 etupid and cruel dislike which the driver frequently enter- 

 tains towards some particular horse in his team. This is a 

 crime that should never be forgiven; nor should the secret 

 administration of certain favorite and powerful, and too fee- 



