TREATMENT OF THE COLT. 25 



if you get down on your hands and knees and crawl 

 towards him, he will be very much frightened ; and 

 upon the same principle, he would frighten at your 

 new position if you had the power to hold yourself 

 over his back without touching him. Then the first 

 great advantage of the block is to gradually gentle 

 him to that new position in which he will see you 

 when you ride him. Secondly, by the process of 

 holding your weight in the stirrups, and on your 

 hand, you can gradually accustom him to your 

 weight, so as not to fiighten him by having him feel 

 it all at once. And, in the third place, the block 

 elevates you so that you will not have to make a 

 spring in order to get on the horse's back, but from 

 it you can gradually raise yourself into the saddle. 

 When you take these precautions, there is no horse 

 so wild but what you can mount him without making 

 him jump. I have tried it on the worst horses that 

 could be found, and have never failed in any case. 

 When mounting, your horse should always stand 

 without being held. A horse is never well broke 

 when he has to be held with a tight rein when 

 mounting ; and a colt is never so safe to mount as 

 when you see that assurance of confidence, and ab- 

 sence of fear, which cause him to stand without 

 holding. 



HOW TO RIDE THE COLT. 



WTien you want him to start, do not touch him on 

 the side with your heel,' or do anything to frighten 

 him and make him jump. But speak to him kindly, 



