170 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



nor must the colt be made tired ; after an hour or so, repeated 

 two or three times a day, he should be taken home and fed. 

 In a day or two of this training he may be led in a circle, and 

 by degrees in a straight line. A good authority advises a whip 

 to be carried on the second day of leading the colt in a straight 

 line, in order to teach him always to walk with his shoulder 

 opposite that of the trainer's. His head should always be in 

 front of the latter, whose body ought to be on a level with the 

 fore-arm and shoulder of the animal ; otherwise, if the head is 

 level with the trainer's, the colt will gradually begin to hang 

 back, he will be taught to drag in hand, and ever afterwards 

 he will have to be pulled along Avhen led. To prevent this 

 habit being acquired, he ought to be led with the cavesson 

 rein in the right hand, the left hand carrying the whip, and 

 whenever his shoulder drops behind the trainer's, he must be 

 touched gently behind, when he will step up to his proper 

 position immediately. By doing this, and watching him care- 

 fully, in a few days he will be taught to lead w^ell, keeping 

 always level with his attendant and not hanging back, and so 

 spared from much ill-usage and beating in after days in not 

 requiring to be pulled along. 



When the colt leads well, a well-padded surcingle, with a 

 crupper attached to it — the latter having a buckle near the tail 

 to facilitate passing it under that part — is put on. The surcingle 

 should have three D rings on the upper part, one in the middle 

 by which to attach the crupper, and one (or a buckle) on each 

 side for the reins. A bridle is also put on the head, or a bit 

 attached to the cavesson. 



The bit is of various patterns. One is a large smooth 

 snaffle, with keys hanging from a central ring ; another is a 

 thick, smooth, straight bit ; another is a large straight wooden 

 mouthpiece ; another is a circular bit, consisting of a smooth 

 ring with a loop at either side to attach it to the bridle ; while 

 another has a smooth semicircular mouthpiece. The best is, 



