160 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



to him, and startling. When he has fully composed 

 his mind, and settled down into the conviction that 

 every thing is all right and as it should be with him, 

 he is then walked about, the harness still being on, 

 and brought back every few minutes to the spot where 

 he is to be unharnessed and gentled, and taught to stand 

 as long a time as it would naturally take to remove the 

 harness from him. Straps are loosened, buckle-tongues 

 started, saddle and collar eased; in short, every thing 

 done that would be done in unharnessing, save actually 

 removing the harness. After doing this several times, 

 tliis standing still while being unharnessed has come to 

 be, in his mind, a part of the programme, and he under- 

 stands it, and assents to it as such. Once learned, in the 

 case of an intelligent horse, ahoays learned; for the horse 

 is highly organized as to his memory, and in all his after- 

 life he never will forget what you have so kindly taught 

 him. This same process should be gone through with 

 several times; indeed, in the case of a high-spirited, 

 valuable colt, once or twice each day, for a week at 

 least, because it is a most important part of his edu- 

 cation. And you should remember that he is learning 

 many lessons in one, including that greatest of all 

 lessons a colt can learn; viz., to have confidence in, 

 and yield his will to, man. Have great patience at 

 this point of his education, even as a teacher must 

 have when teaching an inattentive, and perhaps a 

 dull child, the alphabet. Do not count the days you 

 spend now : judge your success by the result, and pro- 



