BEEAKING-IN.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[breaking-tn. 



fimall circle. Care should be taken to teach 

 him this pace thoroughly, never suffering him 

 to break into a trot. The boy with his whip 

 may here again be necessary, but not a single 

 blow should ever be administered. 



Becoming tolerably perfect in the walk, he 

 should be quickened to a trot, and kept steadily 

 at it ; the whip of the boy, if needful, urging 

 him on, and the cavesson restraining him. 

 These lessons should be short. The pace 

 should be kept perfect and distinct in each, 

 and docility and improvement rewarded with 

 Trequent caresses and handfuls of corn. The 

 length of the rein may now be gradually in- 

 creased, the pace quickened, and the time ex- 

 tended, until the animal becomes tractable in 

 these his first lessons ; towards the conclusion 

 of which, crupper-straps, or something similar, 

 may be attached to the clothing. These, play- 

 ing about the sides and flanks, accustom him 

 to the flapping of the coat of the rider. Any 

 annoyance which they may at first occasion 

 will pass over in a day or two, when the ani- 

 mal finds that no harm to him arises from them. 



Next comes the bitting. The bit should be 

 large and smooth, and the reins should be 

 buckled to a ring on either side of the pad. 

 The reins should at first be slack, and very 

 gradually tightened. The object of this is to 

 prepare the animal for the more perfect man- 

 ner in which the head will be afterwards got 

 into its proper position, when he is accustomed 

 to the saddle. Occasionally the breaker should 

 stand in front of the colt, and take hold of 

 each side-rein near to the mouth, and press 

 upon it, which is a mode of beginning to 

 teach him to stop and to back at the pressure 

 of the rein. Every act of this sort should be 

 rewarded by some soft or gentle endearments, 

 and no eagerness or desire to punish any oc- 

 casional carelessness or waywardness which 

 the yet unbroken animal may be inclined to 

 display. 



The colt may now be taken into the road or 

 street to be gradually accustomed to the objects 

 among which his services will be required. 

 Here, from fear or playfulness, a considerable 

 degree of starting and shying may be exhibited. 

 A.S little notice as possible should be taken of 

 these symptoms of timidity or wildness. The 

 same or a similar object should be soon passed 

 again, but at a greater distance. If the colt 

 144 



still shies, let the distance be farther increased, 

 until he takes no notice of the object ; then he 

 may be gradually brought nearer to it, usually 

 without the slightest difficulty. If, however, 

 there is an attempt made to force him close to 

 it in the first instance, the remembrance of 

 the contest, which such an act generally causes, 

 will be associated with the object, and the habit 

 of shying will be established. 



Hitherto, with a cool and patient breaker, 

 the whip may have been shown, but will 

 scarcely have been used. The colt must now, 

 however, be accustomed to this instrument of 

 authority. Let the breaker walk by the side 

 of the animal, and throw his right arm over 

 his back, holding the reins in his left ; and oc- 

 casionally quickening his pace, let the horse be 

 touched with the whip very gently. It is 

 astonishing how soon the association of the 

 touch of the whip and the quickening of the 

 pace become fixed in the mind of the animal. 

 If necessary, the touches may gradually fall a 

 little heavier, and the feeling of pain be the 

 monitor of the necessity of increased exertion. 

 The lessons of reining in, stopping, and back- 

 ing on the pressure of the bit, may continue to 

 be practised at the same time. 



He may now be taught to bear the saddle. 

 Some little caution will be necessary in putting 

 it on at the first. The breaker should stand 

 at the head of the colt, pat him, and engage his 

 attention, while one assistant, on the off-side, 

 gently places it on the back. Another, on the 

 near side, will then slowly tighten the girths. 

 If the animal submits quietly to this, as he 

 generally will, when the previous process of 

 breaking-in has been properly conducted, the 

 ceremony of mounting may be attempted on 

 the following or on the third day. The breaker 

 will need two assistants to accomplish this 

 operation. He will remain at the head of the 

 colt, patting and making much of him. Tiio 

 rider will then put his foot into the stirrup, 

 and bear a little weight upon it, while the man 

 on the off-side presses equally on the other 

 stirrup-leather ; and, according to the docility 

 of the animal, he will gradually increase the 

 weight, until he balances himself on the stirrup. 

 If the colt is uneasy or fearful, he should be 

 spoken kindly to and patted, or a mouthful of 

 corn given to him: but if he offers serious 

 resistance, the lessons must terminate for that 



