CHAPTER XVIII. 



GETTING THE CONFIDENCE OF THE LITTLE COLTS. 



Everyone familiar with the importance of having no mistakes made 

 in the early education of our horses, will, no doubt, be sufficiently at- 

 tracted by our handling to keep our company a few moments while we 

 explain, in as plain and simple a manner as possible, what we believe to 

 be the fundamental principle of procedure, as well as cheap and practical 

 devices for the purpose. 



No one who has studied the character and disposition of our horses 

 will deny but what we must first get the confidence of our pupil before 

 we can make much headway in his education. But how to get that con- 

 fidence and maintain it, is the first question to be solved. We firmly be- 

 lieve that the best possible time is when the young foal is but one hour 

 to one day old. And the best method is to feed the young thing gran- 

 ulated sugar from the hand, by first rubbing it between its lips until it 

 knows where to find it, as well as where to get the milk from its mother, 

 which it also has to learn. As soon as the young colt realizes that it 

 can get as sweet food from the master's hand as from the udder of its 

 dam it as readily goes to one as the other. As soon as the colt realizes 

 this fact, it has confidence, and our word for it, that confidence will 

 never be wanting unless we deceive it in some way. 



As soon as the colt will come to you and eat sugar from the palm 

 of your hand (See cut No. 28.) without apparent fear, you can begin to 

 handle and restrain it. Be sure you touch every part of its body with 

 your hands. Handle it as gently and kindly as you would a baby — which 

 it really is, and sensitive, too. 



Keep this up from day to day, until it will really look lor your com- 

 ing as a period of comfort, enjoyment and relish. 



As it grows stronger and more familiar with you, it will be well to 

 assure it that you are stronger; but, while you may hold it, it is not to be 

 hurt or punished in consequence, but on the contrary, it is to be caressed, 

 petted and even given sugar, which goes farther to satisfy it that there is 

 no harm meant than anything else that mortal man can do for it. 



TRAINING TO THE HALTER. 



When the colt is about ten days or two weeks old is, probably, the 

 test time to educate it to the legitimate use of the halter. While you 

 have really had no trouble up to this time, there is great danger that 

 right here you and the young equine will have a disagreementTr-a falling 

 out— a misunderstanding— and possibly a lasting grudge at each other. 



