176 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



down once, in order that he might learn how powerless he 

 is in the hands of man. When a colt gives up, the man 

 at his head will easily perceive it. The hot blaze and 

 mad glitter will leave the eye ; the muscles will relax 

 their tension ; the neck will become limp ; and the whole 

 body, losing its rigidity, will lie along the earth as if it 

 had no thought of rising, and would never rise. This 

 is the stage of exhaustion and submission. The colt's 

 rampant spirit is cowed, and his pride humbled. His 

 conceit is taken out of him. He has been beaten by 

 his own Aveapons, and knows it. He will never trouble 

 you again in that way. As to the time it takes to 

 bring a colt to this conviction, there is no precise limit. 

 Some colts will "give it up" in twenty minutes ; some 

 in sixty ; and I have known colts hold out for three 

 liours. But, whether it takes longer or shorter, carry 

 the thing through: Believe me, you cannot spend your 

 time better. 



Another fault, or rather habit, — for it is often only the 

 result of habit, and no result or proof of viciousness, — is 

 kicking. We should remember that a colt kicks natu- 

 rally ; that is, he does it in self-defence, and also in the 

 way of play. It is, as it were, his birthright, by which he 

 expresses his physical spirits, and defends himself The 

 fact is, no colt should ever be put between the shaft 

 without a kicking -strap ; that is, a strap buckled to either 

 shaft, and passed over the haunches in such a way as to 

 make it impossible for him to get his heels over the 

 cross-tree. This is the only safe way to pursue. Gen- 



