16 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE. 



at other times. Their nerves, being more tense, send 

 a different message to the brain. I have seen a man 

 of robust constitution, but just getting out after a 

 long illness, jump like a colt when a piece of white 

 paper blew across the sidewalk before him. Now, 

 what illness had done for his nerves, high condition, 

 cold air, want of exercise, will do for the nerves of a 

 horse, especially if he be a young horse ; and the 

 moral is, that for shying thus brought about the whip 

 is no cure. In fact, even for intentional shying the 

 use of the whip does more harm than good ; it is per- 

 missible only when the horse refuses to approach or 

 to pass a particular object. If he cannot be led or 

 coaxed forward, then it is well to employ punish- 

 ment, for he must never be allowed to disobey. 



The success in equine matters of which Americans 

 can fairly boast is due chieflv to the fact that we have 

 consulted the equine nature. Our trainers, perceiving 

 that the horse is a nervous, timid, and yet docile ani- 

 mal, have endeavored to win his confidence, rather 

 than to subdue his spirit. Instead of breaking colts, 

 we " gentle " them ; and that single word developed 

 in the daily usage of the stable eloquently indicates 

 the difference between the old method and the new, 

 between American horse-training and foreign horse- 

 breaking. The superintendent of a large stock farm 

 'states : "At the age of six months we take up the 

 colts and gentle them. After several weeks of this 

 work they are again turned out. At fourteen months 

 old they are taken up and driven double with an old 

 horse, and in a short time they are put in single har- 

 ness." In smaller establishments even greater pains 

 are taken to domesticate tne colt from infancy up- 



