282 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



should fit perfectly ; if a jDart breaks, the colt may be ruined for 

 all time. The collar should receive especial attention, since it is 

 through this agency that the horse exerts his power, and the 

 colt's shoulders are likely to be tender and easily abraded. The 

 collar must be kept scrupulously clean. If the colt loses flesh, 

 the collar which fitted joerf ectly in the beginning may become too 

 large. A breast collar is admissible when the load is light. It 



Tig. 149. — Hitched for the first time, showing kick strap over rump, and safety ropes 

 to prevent running and the like. 



must not be adjusted so high as to choke the animal, nor should 

 it be so low as to interfere with the action of his limbs. The 

 saddle and the crupper also need careful attention. Care should 

 be taken to have them fit and to keep them clean, lest they abrade 

 the back or the tail and render a horse vicious. 



Hitching single. — When the colt is desired for single use, it is 

 often advisable to train him to go single from the first. This 

 may be done after he has become familiar with the bit, the har- 

 ness, and the use of the lines. When training the colt to go sin- 

 gle, a training cart, substantially constructed with long shafts 

 and with a seat so arranged that the driver can mount and dis- 

 mount quickl}^, should be employed. Such a cart can easily be 

 constructed from the rear wheels and the axle of a buggy or a 



