20 THE HORSE 



and to the pressure of the traces against their sides 

 and hind legs — a thing which greatly frightens some 

 nervous colts. If driven double, they should be har- 

 nessed sometimes on one, sometimes on the other side 

 of the pole. 



When the colt is hitched single for the first time, 

 it is well to have a stout kicking strap, and if he comes 

 of kicking blood this is indispensable. Then if he starts 

 to kick, let him do so ; and if, after one thorough trial, 

 he finds that he can accomplish nothing by kicking, 

 it is probable that he will never try it again. Still it is 

 safer to keep the kicking strap on for some time 

 longer. 



An overdraw check should not be used on a colt, 

 unless it is needed to control him. It is bad for two 

 reasons : first, it makes the colt a slow walker, and, 

 secondly, it tends to give him a straight neck, instead 

 of an arched neck, and the beauty of a horse depends 

 more upon his arched neck than upon any thing else. 



The following is an excellent rigging to use in train- 

 ing a colt, especially one that is likely to misbehave: 

 take two long, stout poles or saplings, rounded off at 

 one end, and attach one pole on each side of the colt, 

 so that the rounded end projects a little beyond his 

 shoulder, the other end dragging on the ground, very 

 much like the poles on which the Indian ponies used 

 to haul their loads. If the colt tries to turn around, 

 the end of the pole will press against him and keep him 

 straight, and if he starts to run you can pull his head 

 to one side. As he becomes accustomed to the con- 

 trivance you can gradually push the poles against his 



