68 HUMANE HORSE-TRAINING 



a colt forms a habit, whether good or bad, it sometimes 

 remains with him, and, although curable, it requires a 

 great deal of patience in order to effect a cure. 



I once handled an unbroken colt with a head exactly 

 as described in Type 4. This colt was dangerous, 

 kicked wildly, and would fight his way through any fence, 

 if given the chance, and he would kick savagely, too. 

 He was rising three years. I secured him in a very 

 strong loose-box, and when I locked myself in with him 

 he made several attempts to kick me both with fore and 

 hind feet. I gave him a confidence lesson. He did 

 some smart kicking when I touched his heels with the 

 whip, but, finding his escape from me was impossible, 

 he wisely gave in and commenced to follow. 



In such a case as this make sure to impress upon the 

 colt's young mind that man is master; so when I 

 completed the full confidence lesson I tied his head to 

 his tail (I will explain this later). After a few hours' 

 treatment (each lesson lasts one hour, and I only work 

 a colt about one hour a day) this colt was quite friendly. 

 But to continue my treatment : I put him down on the 

 ground and handled him all over. He never once had 

 his own way with me ; I was at all times the master, 

 and he formed a " habit " of submitting kindly every 

 time I handled him. If, on the other hand, he had 



