HORSE SENSE. 193 



IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING A TEAM OF HORSES FROM 

 SEPARATING. 



In the commencement of the Iiandling of wild horses in harness, 

 one of the first considerations is to keep the team in close contact with 

 each other. Never let a team of horses get in such position that they 

 can act independently of each other, or we are in trouble at once if 

 they are so disposed. By having a good strong neck strap on each 

 horse with a coupling connection, we are enabled to hold the front ends 

 of the horses as close together as we desire, and by connecting the tails 

 with rope or strap (with the character of knots heretofore described in 

 picketing horses on the prairie, cut No. 70), we are able to keep the 

 rear ends of the horses at any required distance. See cut No. 102. 



When the horses are securely connected as described, we can take 

 hold of the lines and drive them with the harness only at first. It is al- 

 ways better in the beginning to use an old steady horse with the newly 

 captured one, so that the experienced horse can act as a teacher for the 

 inexperienced. After driving about for a short time, and stopping and 

 starting frequently so that the new horse may learn what this means, 

 they may be attached to a log, stone-boat or sled and driven about to 

 this for a sufficient time to get them accustomed to pulling and working 

 together; then they may be hitched to a heavy wagon with rub-lock, so 

 that in case the rattle of the wagon frightens the young pupil we can 

 make the draft suthcient to regulate the speed as we may desire. 



THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY IF WE WILL GIVE THE MAT- 

 TER DUE CONSIDERATION. 



Many of the readers of Horse Sense may think there is entirely too 

 much stress placed upon the security of our horses in the beginning of 

 their education (in youth and maturity), but it is far better to provide 

 against accidents than to try to correct bad habits after once acquired. 

 We 3?iOuld always keep in mind the natural laws governing the actions 

 of our horses and then, knowing the greater strength of the horse to 

 that oi man, we must provide against probabilities as well as possibilities. 



