156 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



this the first step in educating the colt, the impression 

 should be indelibly stamped upon his mind that man is 

 his master. And this can and should be done without 

 violence or cruel force. I will explain my method of 

 treatment, and the reason therefor. Inquire, then, what 

 the groom or educator of the colt proposes to do. This 

 evidently: He proposes, in the first place, to teach the 

 colt to follow after or by the side ; that is, keep close 

 to the one who is leading him by the halter. In the 

 second place, he proposes to show the colt that he can- 

 not successfully resist him ; that he is not so strong as a 

 man. This lesson once taught the colt, this impression 

 once fairly embedded in his mind, he will never after, 

 in all his life, forget it. He will live and die with the 

 idea in his head that man is stronger than he. And 

 this is a most valuable lesson for a colt to learn, and 

 to learn early: it saves much after-labor and many risks. 

 Well, then, to the method : I put a head-halter on, made 

 of soft material, so that it will not cut into his tender 

 skin, and so made that the cheek-pieces will not draw 

 into his eyes when he pulls back or struggles ; and when 

 this is done quietly and gently, with pleasant words and 

 kind caresses, I step out in front of him, and planting 

 myself squarely, so that he shall not with all his efforts 

 move me from my tracks, pull steadily on the halter, 

 saying all the time, while the pressure on him is being 

 increased, " Come, sir ; come ! " Sometimes the colt will 

 come, yielding readily to the pressure ; in which case 

 pat him kindly, so as to make him feel that he has done 



