Chapter III.-BREAKIXG 



OBJECTS OF BREAKING. 



First. To aid by hygiene, feeding, and work the entire 

 expansion of the young horses physical forces. 



Second. To give him the first ideas of the aids and to 

 prepare him for their discipline. 



Its principal objective, then, as has already been said, 

 is to gradually put the colt in condition. The various steps 

 in raising the colt and the sojourn in the annexes, i where 

 the young horse should be submitted to a certain amount 

 of work, serve as commencements of this conditioning and 

 facilitate its beginning. 



Certain military or physiological exigencies necessitate 

 the division of breaking into several phases, each having 

 its end in view. 



Phaser. — The dates which fix these steps are: First, 

 the beginning of January, by which time the gentling 

 should be accomplished; second, the early part of March, 

 periods of drills for mobilization: third, the departure for 

 maneuvers, which marks the end of breaking and imposes 

 an almost complete rest. 



The periods when the hair is falling and when the 

 horses are put on grass complete the series of stepping 

 stones, which will again appear in the second year. 



Importance of work. — Work is the most important factor 

 in breaking. Besides the role which it plays in the devel- 

 opment of the organs of the young horse, it is the regulator 

 destined to keep his health and character in balance. 



If the young horse does not work enough, he becomes 

 too fat, too playful; he blemishes himself under his own 

 weight, increased by that of the man, and he spoils his 

 mouth by struggling against the hand that seeks to hold 

 him down. 



Nevertheless, the colt must be in rather high condition. 



His work should be long and slow out of doors (one 

 and a half hours at least), short in the riding hall <a half 

 hour). 



1 Evidently a step in the remount depot system.— Translator. 

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