THE COLT. 57 



be allowed to stop until he becomes evidently tired. The old 

 horse throughout this exercise should have a saddle on and the 

 bridle over his neck ready for riding. If the colt moves off 

 freely and kindly, after a few minutes let the person at the head 

 lead the old horse a little way in advance, gradually increasing 

 the distance until he is several lengths ahead of the colt in the 

 shafts. Without stopping the old hor'se, let the assistant now 

 spring into the saddle and keep lengthening the distance between 

 them, until at length the old horse is taken entirely out of sight 

 of the colt. During these lessons he should be taught to stop, 

 start, and back. It will be a little difficult to teach him to back. 

 Have him back only a few steps at first, gradually increasing 

 until he backs readily. All of these performances are designed to 

 accustom the colt to the bridle, the harness, the shafts of the 

 buggy, and the guidance of the lines, and to complete the w^ork 

 of gentling before he has strength or inclination to disobey. He 

 should take his lessons frequently, but without requiring from 

 him any real labor while young and tender. His health at this 

 period should not be neglected. He now begins cutting his per- 

 manent teeth. In children a similar irritation is caused by the 

 cutting of deciduous teeth. This interferes with his feeding. 

 He often cuds his food and wastes more or less of it. The gums 

 are reddened by an excess of blood, swollen and tender. The 

 irritation may extend to and cause a slightly deranged condition 

 of the stomach and bowels, giving rise to constipation, diarrhoea, 

 etc. Good wood ashes with plenty of salt kept constantly in the 

 feeding troughs will have the happiest effect in abating the evils 

 referred to and in mitigating the suffering of colthood. Sulphur 

 should be fed also. This has a good effect on the colt in two 

 ways — preventing disease and keeping away lice of every descrip- 

 tion that so frequently infest the young colt when not in good 

 condition. His food should be similar to that described for the 

 weanling, except that it should be given in larger quantities. 

 This is the most favorable time for castration, which will be dis- 

 cussed at length in the future pages of this work. 



