214 CYCLOPEDIA or LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



and bid them go. If the colt plunge and rear, keep the steady horse in 

 motion, and talk to the colt. If he show too much temper, a few sharp 

 cuts of the whip will bring him to terms, but in punishing him strike but 

 once, and repeat if necessary. This discipline, administered with caie, 

 and driving to make them way-wise, is all the difficulty one need ever 

 nave with colts. 



XI. The Age for Real Work. 



Having performed light work, when from two to three years of age, 

 let the colts have rest during the twelvemonth from three to four years of 

 age. They are then shedding their principal teeth, and should be allowed 

 to grow. At five 3'ears they may be put to real work, and they will then 

 go on getting better and wiser, until they are eight years old, at which 

 age a horse should be kind and without fear under any circumstances, and 

 fit for any one to drive, who can hold the reins, aiid has judgment enough 

 to keep from running against obstacles. 



This may seem like a long course of training, and one accompanied b^ 

 much trouble. It all, however, comes in the regular routine of farm 

 life, and must be midertaken in one way or another, unless the animal 

 be intended for mere drudgery. 



XII. How to Subdue a Wild Colt. 



The narrative of how the writer once subdued, and rendered perfectly 

 amenable to the will, a pair of wild, high-bred four-year-old colts, that 

 had never even been haltered, may prove interesting. The colts had been 

 purchased from a person who was a capital and humane horseman, but 

 believed in never handling a colt until four years old — and this is cer- 

 tainly better than imperfect handling. The two were driven together, 

 into a close stall. From the outside of the stall, after many trials, in 

 which no violence was used, but, on the contrary, soothing words, strong 

 cavesson halters, such as are shown in the illustration, were put on the ani- 

 mals and buckled. A rope twenty-four feet long, and with a powerful 

 snap hook in the middle, was attached to the ring of the halter, leaving 

 the ends twelve feet. Two men were placed at each end of the rope, 

 whose only duty was to keep it spread, and, so accommodate themselves 

 to the movement of the colt, as to keep it as nearly within bounds as 

 possible. Our horseman friend superintended one colt, myself the other. 

 The colts were allowed to find their way each into separate yards. The 

 men picked up the ends of the rope, and the struggle began. 



The masters' part was simply to direct the movements of the men, 

 and talk, each to his own colt. In ten minutes the rearing and plunging of 

 one colt was over, and in less than fifteen minutes the struggles of the 



