496 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



BREAKING COLTS. 



^ In the Boston Cultivator of Sept. 16, we no- 

 ticed an engraving illustrating a new mode of 

 breaking colts, by a Mr. Phineas Field. TIk 

 mode of performing this work is so simple and so 

 favorable, tliat we have made some improvement,' 

 upon the eno;raviDg, and give the description ii 

 Mr. Field's own words. He says,—" a little mort 

 than one year since, having three fine colts that 

 were wholly untutored, I adopted a new expedient 

 for bringing them into subjection, which suc- 

 ceeded to a charm. Several of my neighbors 

 availed themselves of the privilege gratuitously 

 offered them by the use of my apparatus in 

 breaking their colt?, and in every case they were 

 delighted with the ease, safety and thorough suc- 

 cess of the SL-Iieme. Last Autumn, having bought 

 another largo and vigorous colt of three years 

 past in age, and wishing to bring it under sub- 

 jection, I resorted to the same method that was 

 found so eff-.'ctual last season, which has been 

 equally satisfactory, both to myself and my 

 neighbors, ^^ ho have either availed themselves of 

 the use of I'lc apparatus, or have witnessed its 

 operation ; und in compliance with their sugges- 

 tion, I send you a drawing of the run-round, now 

 in rig in my yard for breaking colts. To the ma- 

 chine thus completed I harness the colt, I care 

 not how ugly or ungained, buckling the pole 

 strap so short that he will have no slack harness ; 

 then tying his halter to the cross-bar, I pull off 

 his bridle and let him have a fair chance and his 

 own course. He never runs at first, for fear of 

 the wheel before him, but alternately trots and 



stands still. After the colt has been harnessed 

 an hour or so, I seat myself astride the rear pole 

 at the point where the inner end of the bar sup- 

 porting the whipple-tree is attached, when he 

 generally starts off at a rapid speed ; I retain my 

 5eat until the colt comes to a stand, which is 

 always after he has been from six to twenty 

 rounds. I then feed him a handful of oats, and 

 put a wisp of hay in the rope which confines the 

 pole strap, and leave him to pursue his own 

 course. He should be kept harnessed in this way 

 through the day, being visited frequently with 

 the oat dish, and supplied with hay, where he 

 can help himself at will. 



The second day let the colt be bridled, with 

 leading lines attached, and fed a few oats as soon 

 as harnessed, then left for some time to promenade 

 at his leisure, then drove, and taught to start and 

 stop at bidding. After being drilled in this way 

 for half an hour, make fast one of the wheels to 

 a post a little outside of the range, and leave him 

 for an hour or more, thus teaching him to stand ; 

 keej^ him harnessed through the day, occasionally 

 feeding, driving, backing, and teaching him to 

 stop and to stand still, but using no harsh meas- 

 ures, for none are needed. After three such days 

 of training, I have always succeeded in making a 

 colt completely manageable, and hesitate not to 

 take my wife on board a cutter or wagon for a 

 ride, having done so repeatedly. I consider the 

 above method for breaking colts cheap, safe, ex- 

 peditious and effectual, and those who have ex- 

 amined the affair, say that a colt broken to go in 

 that machine will go anywhere. 



Explanation of the Drawing. — A post set fir m 



