HOW TO TRAIN A COLT. 203 



colt a month without a kind of half-human intelligence 

 springing up between you and him. He will recognize 

 you when you enter his stall. He will grow to expect 

 your caress when you mount the seat and take the lines. 

 He will keep an ear turned as you jog, to catch your 

 lightest word. I have known horses neigh back an 

 answer when their driver spoke to them. It is a great 

 thing, believe me, to establish this understanding be- 

 tween you and your colt. With this spurt be content. 

 Try no more that day. Jog him through his journey, 

 and bring him home to his stable with only that one 

 memory in his mind. 



Let him rest a day, then try him again. Before you 

 get within fifty rods of that stretch of road, you will find 

 your colt anticipating it. I have no doubt but that he 

 has thought it all over in his stall, and made up his 

 mind how he would strip out when he reached that 

 spot again; for no sooner has he come to it, than, 

 without a word from you, or the movement of a line, 

 he will begin to stir the bits in his mouth, lift his nose 

 into the air, elevate his tail a little, and go at it. This 

 is the way that a colt should be taught to trot. It 

 should be of his own free accord ; the mere overflow- 

 ing of a vitality so vigorous and buoyant, that it can- 

 not be restrained. An old horse can be urged with 

 voice and whip, if need be ; but let your colt alone. 

 Don't urge him: make haste slowly at this point. It 

 is not great speed that you want now, so much as a 

 desire to go, and a correct movement of the hmbs. 



