OF FARRIERY. 



465 



never by an actual blow, to keep the colt up. 

 When the animal follows readily and quietly, 

 he may be taken to the ring, and walked 

 round, right and left, in a very small circle. 

 Care should be taken to teach him this pace 

 thoroughly, never suffering him to break into 

 a trot. The boy with his whip may here 

 again be necessary, but not a single blow 

 should actually fall. 



Becoming tolerably perfect in the vA'alk, he 

 should be quickened to a trot, and kept 

 steadily at it ; the whip of the boy, if needful, 

 urging him on, and the cavesson restraining 

 him. These lessons should be short. The 

 pace should be kept perfect and distinct in 

 each ; and docility and improvement rewarded 

 with frequent caresses, and handsful of corn. 

 The length of the rein may now be gradually 

 increased, and the pace quickened, and the 

 time extended, until the animal becomes 

 tractable in this his first lessons, towards the 

 conclusion of which, crupper-straps, or some- 

 thing similar, may be attached to the clothing. 

 These, playing about the sides and flanks, 

 accustom him to the flapping of the coat of 

 the rider. The annoyance which they occa- 

 sion will pass over in a day or two; for when 

 the animal finds that no harm comes to him 

 on account of these straps, he will cease to 

 regard them. 



Next comes the bitting. The bit should 

 be larere and smooth, and the reins should be 

 buckled to a ring on either side of the pad. 

 There are many curious and expensive 

 machines for this purpose, but the simple rein 

 will be quite sufficient. The reins should at 

 first be slack, and very gradually tightened. 

 This will prepare for the more perfect manner 

 in which the head will be afterwards got into 

 its proper position, \\ hen the colt is accus- 



tomed to the saddle. Occasionally the 

 breaker should stand in front of the colt, and 

 take hold of each side rein near to the mouth, 

 and press upon it, and thus begin to teach 

 liim to stop and to back at the pressure of the 

 rein, rewarding every act of docility, and not 

 being too eager to punish occasional careless- 

 ness or waywardness. 



The colt may now be taken into the road 

 or street to be gradually accustomed to the 

 objects among which his services will be re- 

 quired. Here, from fear or playfulness, a con- 

 siderable degree of starti ng and shying may be 

 exhibited. As little notice as possible should 

 be taken of it. The same or a similar object 

 should be soon passed again, but at a greater 

 distance. If the colt still shies, let the distance 

 be farther increased, until he takes no notice 

 of the object; then he may be gradually 

 brought nearer to it, and this will be usually 

 efl'ected without the slightest difficulty : 

 whereas, had there been an attempt to force 

 the animal close to it in the first instance, the 

 remembrance of the contest would have been 

 associated with the object, and the habit of 

 shvins would have been established. 



Hitherto, with a cool and patient breaker, 

 the whip may have been shown, but will 

 scarcely have been used ; the colt must now, 

 however, be accustomed to this necessary 

 instrument of authority. Let the breaker 

 walk by the side of the animal, and throw 

 his right arm over his back, holding the 

 reins in his left ; and occasionally quicken his 

 pace, and, at the moment of doing this, tap 

 the Horse with the whip in his right hand, 

 and at first very gently. The tap of the whip 

 and the quickening of the pace will soon 

 become associated together in the mind of the 

 animal. If necessary, the taps may gradually 

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