Treat7nent of Young Horses. 29 



you dismount. After you have used it to this 

 treatment for a week or two, it will stand per- 

 fectly still for you to either mount or dismount. 

 As the horse, through life, is required to do all 

 kinds of things, it is necessary that it should be 

 taught in its youth to do what it may in after- 

 life be called upon to perform. We have now 

 taught the colt to carry man, and walk, trot, or 

 canter at his will; we will now use it to the 

 sword and fire-arms. Having buckled your scab- 

 bard on without the sword, go to its head, caress 

 it, and let it examine the scabbard before you 

 mount ; then, if it is satisfied, mount and walk 

 slowly, to let it feel the scabbard; after it is 

 used to it you can unloop the scabbard and let it 

 have full play. In a day or two it will make no 

 objection to carry it, when you can put the sword 

 in, and use it to be quietly drawn and replaced, 

 and in a short time with kind words and gentle 

 usage you can draw the sword with a sharp ring 

 and it will take no notice. Next you can proceed 

 to wave the sword above its head, and to cut, 

 parry, and point, without your horse moving a 

 leg or ear. If you are rough and harsh with the 

 colt, you cannot teach it as much in a month as 

 a kind man can in three days. Our horse now 

 knows that the sword is not meant to hurt it, so 

 we will now use the pistol. First accustom it 

 to seeing us hold out the pistol at arm's length, 

 then snap a cap. It will start and prick its 

 ears, and kind reassuring words are now wanted. 

 When you have quieted it, snap another cap, and 

 it will start again, but will not take so much 



