BllliAKI.NG IX. 113 



The foal should be daily handled, accustomed to the halter, led about, and 

 eveu tied up. The tractability, good temper, and value of the horse de- 

 pend a great deal more upon tliis than breeders are aware ; this should be 

 done as much as possible by the man by Avhom they arc fed, and whose 

 management of them should be always kind and gentle. There is no fault 

 for which a breeder should so invariably discharge his servant as ci-ueltv, 

 or even harshness, towards the rising stock ; for the principle on which 

 their after usefulness is founded is attachment to, and confidence in man, 

 and obedience, implicit obedience, resulting principally from these. With 

 the horse used for agricultural purposes, after the second winter, the work 

 of breaking-in may commence in good earnest. He may first be bitted, 

 and a bit carefully selected that will not hurt his mouth, and much smaller 

 than those in common use ; with this he may be suffered to amuse himself, 

 and to play, and to champ for an hour, on a few successive days. Havinti- 

 become a little tractable, portions of the harness may be put upon him, 

 and, last of all, the blind winkers ; and a few days after he may go into 

 the team. It would be better if there could be one before and one behind 

 him, beside the shaft horse. Let there be first the mere empty waggon. 

 Let nothing be done to him except that he may have an occasional pat or 

 kind word. The other horses will keep him moving- and in his place : 

 and no great time will pass, sometimes not even the first day, before he 

 ■will begin to pull with the rest ; then the load may be gradually increased. 

 The agricultural horse is wanted to ride as well as to draAv. Let thia 

 first lesson be given when he is in the team. Let his feeder, if possible, 

 be first put upon him : he will be too much hampered by his harness, and 

 by the other horses, to make much resist';,nce ; and, in the majority of 

 cases, will quietly and at once submit. We need not repeat that no whip 

 or spur should be used 'in giving the first lessons in riding. When he be- 

 gins a Httle to understand his business, backing, the most difficult part of 

 his work, may be taught him ; first, to back well Avdihout anything behind 

 him, then with a Hght cai*t, and afterwards with some serious load ; and 

 taking the greatest care not to hurt his mouth. If the first lesson causes 

 much soreness of the g-ums, the colt w411 not readily submit to a second. 

 If he has been rendered tractable before by kind usage, time and patience 

 will do all that can be wished here. Some carters are in the habit of blind- 

 ing the colt when teaching him to back; it may be necessary Avith the restive 

 and obstinate one, and should be used only as a last resort. The colt 

 having been thus partially broken-in, the necessity of implicit obedience 

 may be taught him, and that not by severity, but by firmness and steadi- 

 ness ; the voice aa^II go a great Avay, but the Avhip or the spur is sometimes 

 indispensable — not so cruelly applied as to excite the animal to resistance, 

 but to conAdnce him that we have the poAver to enforce submission. Few, 

 Ave would almost say, no horses, are naturally A^cious. It is cruel usage 

 which has first provoked resistance ; that resistance has been followed by 

 greater severity, and the stubbornness of the animal has increased ; open 

 Avarfare has ensued, in Avhich the man seldom gained an advantage, and 

 the horse was frequently rendered unserviceable. Correction may or must 

 be used to enforce implicit obedience after the education has proceeded to 

 a certain extent, but the early lessons should be inculcated AAdth kindness 

 alone. Young colts are sometimes very peiverse ; many days will occa- 

 sionally pass before they will permit the bridle to lie put on, or the saddle to 

 be worn ; one act of harshness Avill double or treble this time. Patience 

 and kindness aa^II, after a while, prevail. On some morning, of better 

 humour than usual, the bridle avt^II be put on, and the saddle A\dll be worn ; 

 and this compliance being folloAved by kindness and soothing on the part 

 of the breaker, and no inconvenience or pain being suficred by the animal, all 



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