BREEDING THE TROTTER 



in the road to talk to a friend to find your horse 

 so restless that you have to drive on and postpone 

 conversation till another time. The colt should 

 be taught to back and to turn either to right or to 

 left with as much ease as when going forward. A 

 great many of our race-horses, improperly broken 

 in youth, will turn only in one direction. 



After the colt is thoroughly ground-broken pro- 

 cure two light round poles twelve or fourteen feet 

 long and slip them through the shaft holders as 

 though they were shafts of a cart. Rub these 

 poles along the sides and quarters of the colt until 

 it becomes accustomed to them and shows no fear 

 nor excitement. The colt is now ready to hook up. 



HOOKING TO CART. 



I do not approve of heavy breaking carts. I 

 advise hooking the colt to a light cart from which 

 one can descend quickly. Take a groom along 

 for the first few times, as his assistance will be 

 needed in case of emergency. 



Do not keep the colt hooked up more than 

 thirty or forty minutes a day nor drive it more 

 than a mile a day. 



Drive it this way every day for ten or twelve 

 days, by which time the colt should be nicely 

 broken. 



SHOEING. 



The colt is now ready to be shod. If the soil is 

 gravelly shoes may become necessary before the 

 colt is thoroughly broken. As to shoeing you 



105 



