502 AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. 



comes familiarized to standing hitched by the bridle, Lo 

 should be left thus somewhat longer, from time to time. 



The next thing in order is to accustom him to the saddle. 

 A small one should be procured, laid gently on his back, and 

 then removed without the girth having been buckled. This 

 course may be continued until all fear of the strange weight 

 is removed, when the girths may be fastened about him. K 

 a saddle of small size; such as will fit his back, can not be 

 procured, a bag or blanket may be used, and similarlj^ fast- 

 ened, and thus will answer nearly the same purpose. 



The person who feeds the colt is the one to gentle and 

 train him. It will be of great benefit, in this process, to se- 

 lect such bits of food as the colt cai^ eat, and give it to him 

 from the hand. By this course he learns from whom it is 

 that he receives his food, and his friendship is readily secured. 

 The work of gentling is well done only when the colt is 'per- 

 fectly gentle, all his fears of man are removed, and he will 

 allow himself to be handled with the utmost freedom. The 

 great objects to be accomplished are to gain his entire confi- 

 dence, and to accustom him to the most implicit obedience, 

 both at once. When this is the case, his training becomes 

 an easy matter, and his future usefulness is assured. These 

 ends can best be attained, in all cases, by kindness and mod- 

 eration. The many failures that attend the labor of break- 

 ing are generally the consequence of a neglected colthood, 

 and of harsh, rough usage subsequently. " There is no fault," 

 says Youatt, ** for which a breeder should so invariably dis- 

 charge his servant as cruelty, or even harshness, toward the 

 rising stock; for the principle on which their after useful- 

 ness is founded is early attachment to and confidence in man, 

 and obedience, implicit obedience, resulting principally from 

 this." 



THE OKE-YEAR OLD COLT. 



At one-year old, the colt should be perfectly gentle, and 

 familiar with the halter, bridle, saddle, and the different parts 

 of the harness, and should be accustomed to follow readily 

 when led by either the halter or bridle, and to stand tied 



