J on ■ HARNESS. 



or from any cause rough and unpleasant, ii will only get rougher 

 and more unpleasant with age, ami harness should be his 

 destination. A. racehorse may be utterly unfit for a gentleman to 

 ride and yet make a valuable gambling machine, but any other 

 saddle horse should be safe and pleasant in his paces, aj)d where so 

 mauy are required for harness, and so few for the saddle, it is not 

 worth while to train anything for the saddle that is not naturally 

 fitted for it. 



21 o. — If it is discovered that fiie colt will only be fit for 

 harness, or if it is intended to teauli him to go in harness as well 

 as saddle, it will be more easy to put him in harness at ouce than 

 to put the finishing strokes on his education as a saddle horse ; 

 because in harness a well-trained companion can take him certainly 

 and harmlessly through any sights or sounds, and leave him no 

 option about complete obedience. 



In bygone days it was considered derogatory and injurious to 

 a riding horse to have ever been in harness ; but so many advan- 

 tages arise from it when very carefully done, that the most perfect 

 saddle horses are now often good light harness horses as well, and 

 can thus get plenty of daily exercise witliout always carrying an 

 injurious weight on their legs. Such iiorses must never get a 

 collar mark on their shoulders, nor a punishing bit in their mouths, 

 nor a rough-handed coachman at their reins : nor should they 

 habitually have very much weight l)ehind them. But their treat- 

 ment in harness will properly come under, breaking to light 

 harness, and we will now go on with the education of the colt on 

 the supposition that it is to be broken to saddle only. 



214. — While the principal object at this stage is to keep the 

 colt up to the habit of a fast steady walk, and instant attention 

 to the most gentle touch of the rein : time is often well spent in 

 letting him examine closely and exhaustively any common objects 

 that alarm him, when you have an opportunity to do so. It is 

 generally best to get off and lead him up to them, encouraging 

 him to touch them with his muzzle, after which he will generally 

 take no further notice of them. If the object is a moving one, 

 such as a roller, a wheelbarrow, or a bicycle, keep on his back and 

 let it meet him with the old horse nearest to it at first, then turn 

 tliem both round aiul follow ic up, getting the colt as close to it as 



