HOW TO TRAIN A COLT. 221 



for his own. Confidence cannot grow in such circum- 

 stances. If you observe two good trotters who have 

 been accustomed to work together in double harness, 

 you will see what speed and steadiness follow from con- 

 fidence in each other. Each knows that he or she can 

 depend upon the mate to keep up the stroke, and main- 

 tain the even pull and level action. It is of just as 

 much importance that the single-harness horse should 

 understand and have confidence in his driver, as it is 

 for a double-harness horse to know the power and ways 

 of his mate. Unless this sort of mutual understanding 

 can be established between the driver and the horse, 

 the latter can never be relied upon to do his best. The 

 readiest way to produce it is to use him gently but 

 firmly, and to accustom him to the system of telegraph- 

 ing to him by means of the reins in your hand and the 

 bit in his mouth. The whip is to be kept very much in 

 the background while you are cultivating confidence in 

 your horse. It is more likely to prove an obstacle than 

 an aid. 



''I now come to the last critical point in this matter, 

 — when the horse is tired, and inclined to break. In 

 a long brush, you will often have reason to look for an 

 attempt to break ; and it will generally be in circum- 

 stances when the horse must not be suffered to do it. 

 There are times, as I have shown, when, with a tired 

 horse, a break may be brought on with advantage ; but 

 there are others when all will be lost if a break occur. 

 To prevent it, give the shift with the bit when you per- 



