THK PARENT OF JIBBING. 177 



the break. On the following day the colt may be put in and out 

 with blinkers on, and continued to work in them if it is intended 

 that he should do so. No horse is safe to drive, nor should be 

 considered broken in, that has never seen wheels and carriages 

 close behind him. The slightest accident to the blinkers will pro- 

 duce a catastroplie with such a horse, and it is a fraud to call him 

 broken in. 



391. — Although there is room for a great dillerence of 

 opinion, we think, after a great deal of experience with both, that 

 it is safer to drive a high-conditioned horse with blinkers than 

 without, and especially that it is safer to allow ladies and in- 

 experienced drivers to do so ; but that does not justify anyone in 

 shirking the trouble of showing a horse from the first all that is 

 behind him, and teaching him that what he naturally dreads so 

 much will not hurt him. Every horse should not only be broken 

 without blinkers, but he should often be driven without them 

 when in good hands, and under all necessary precautions. The 

 most timid persons often ignorantly incur the greatest risks ; and 

 it is a strange ftict that thousands of timid, wealthy persons, who 

 would spend a fortune rather than knowingly incur any risk to 

 their lives and limbs, are daily riding behind maguificent horses, 

 which are left really dangerous for want of an extra pound being 

 spent on their education. 



892. — When the colt has learned to go steadily in harness, 

 give him a good deal of practice at stopping and starting. 

 Always choose good ground for a start at first, and encourage the 

 colt to start slowly, with a quiet lean in the collar. Start the 

 old horse at the same time, so that if the colt happens to fail in 

 any way at his start, he need not know it, as the old horse will 

 get quietly away with the carriage. You must never forger that 

 impatience is the parent of jibbing, and encourage the colt to 

 take at much time as possible at his starting. You can very 

 easily make him quicker if necessary, when it is safe to do so, 

 but your first and most important, and most difficult business is 

 to teach him to take a pull slowly and patiently. Plenty of 

 practice at a slow walking pace will soonest bring him to steady 

 pulling. 



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