MANAGEMENT OF BKOOD MAEES. 99 



Breaking a colt should begin when the young- 

 ster is a few days old. Fit a little headstall to 

 its head and leave a strap 6 or 8 inches long 

 hanging from it. Catch the foal by this strap 

 often and get him thoroughly accustomed to be- 

 ing handled, to close association with mankind, 

 to have his legs rubbed and his feet picked up. 

 A foal is a friendly little fellow as a rule and 

 likes to play and be petted. I have had three or 

 four of them at a time that I would wrestle with, 

 putting their forefeet on my shoulders. It is 

 always bad to ^'baby'^ a horse, but with a foal 

 it is different. Familiarity with mankind and 

 the consequent fearlessness accruing are safe in- 

 surance against trouble when it comes to break- 

 ing to harness. Early teach the foal to lead. 

 Have a fairly long lead-strap, get behind him 

 and make him go ahead. That is the right way. 

 The wrong way is to get in front of him and try 

 to drag him along. Gentle persuasion with the 

 whip may be necessary, but if the foal has been 

 gently handled he will not be afraid and will 

 quickly learn to go on about his business. Make 

 him do whatever you set out to teach him to do. 

 Breaking colts or horses is much like raising or- 

 phan colts— it is largely in the man. A horse, 

 young or old, is a stupid sort of a beast at the 

 best and unless he is intelligently raised is pos- 

 sessed by fear. Then under strange circum- 

 stances he will do anything and everything 

 which he ought not to do 5 he gets rattled and 



