BREAKING. ^43 



Occasionally the breaker should stand in front of the colt, and take 

 hold of each side rein near to the moutli, and press upon it, and 

 thus begin to teach him to stop and to back on the pressure of 

 the rein, rewarding every act of docility, and not being too eager 

 to punish occasional carelessness or waywardness. 



The colt may now be taken into the road or street, to be grad- 

 ually accustomed to the objects among which his services will be 

 required. Here, from fear or playlulness, a considerable de- 

 gree of starting 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 still farther increased until he 

 takes no notice of the object. Then he may be gradually brought 

 nearer to it, and this will be usually effected without the slight- 

 est difficulty : whereas, had there been an attempt to force him 

 close to it in the first instance, the remembrance of the contest 

 would have been associated with every appearance of the object, 

 and the habit of shying 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 au- 

 thority. Let the breaker walk by the side of the animal, and 

 throw his right arm over his back, holding the reins in his left, 

 occasionally quickening his pace, and at the moment of doing 

 this, tapping the horse with the whip in his right hand, and at 

 first very gently. The tap of the Avhip and the quickening of the 

 pace will soon become associated in the mind of the animal. If 

 necessary, these reminders may gradually fall a little Ireavier, 

 and the feeling of pain be the monitor of the necessity of 

 increased exertion. The lessons of reining in and stopping, and 

 backing on the pressure of the bit, may continue to be practised 

 at the same time. 



He may now be taught to bear the saddle. Some little cau- 

 tion will be necessary at the first putting of it on. The breaker 

 should stand at the head of the colt, patting him and engaging 

 his attention, while one assistant, on the oft-side, gently places 

 the saddle on the back of the animal ; and another, on tlie near- 

 side, slowly tightens the girths. If he submits quietly to this, as 

 he generally will when the previous process of breaking-in has 

 been properly conducted, the ceremony of mounting may be 

 attempted on the following, or on the third day. The breaker 

 will need two assistants in order to accomplish this. He will 

 remain at the head of the colt, patting and making much of 

 him. The rider will put his foot into the stirrup, and bear a 

 little weight upon it, while the man on the off-side presses 

 equally on the other stirrup-leather ; and, according to the do- 



