HOW TO TRAIN A COLT. 177 



erally speaking, a slight twitch on the reins, just as he 

 is on th6 point of " lifting," will check the effort: but 

 it needs a quick eye and hand to catch the colt soon 

 enough to keep his heels out of the dashboard ; and not 

 over two in ten men would be sure to do it. But, by 

 using the kicking-strap, all danger and risk are averted ; 

 and therefore I invariably insist on it in educating my 

 colts. After two or three attempts to " lift^''' the 

 youngster finds he cannot ; and is thereby, as the Irish- 

 man said, "cured of the disease before he had it." In 

 the case of colts, as of men, an " ounce of prevention is 

 worth a pound of cure." 



As to the matter of "balking," no general direction 

 can be given, or rule established. If the education of 

 the colt has been conducted in accordance with the 

 principles I have in previous pages laid down, he will 

 not balk. Balking on the part of colts is, for the most 

 part, the result of the trainer's ignorance or passion. 

 Yelling and whipping on the part of the trainer or 

 driver, over-loading, sore shoulders, or ill-fitting collars, — 

 these are the causes that make horses balk. But if you 

 have a horse or colt that balks, while I cannot, without 

 a personal knowledge of the subject, tell you what to 

 do, I can tell you what not to do, — never whip. If he 

 won't go, let him stand still and think it over. He 

 will very often think better of it, and after a few mo- 

 ments' reflection, and a few tosses of his head, go on of 

 his own accord. Or, if this does not answer, get out 

 of the wagon and pat him, and talk to him kindly. A 



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