HOW TO HANDLE THE COLT WHEN DOWN. 81 



hind-legs, if a kicker — shown him a saddle, and allowed 

 him to smell it, and then placed it on his back — mounted 

 him yourself, and pulled him all over— take off all the 

 straps. In moving round him for the purpose of gentling 

 him, walk slowly always from the head round the tail, 

 and again to the head : scrape the sweat off him with a 

 scraper; rub him down Avith a wisp ; smooth the hair of 

 his legs, and draw the fore one straight out. If he has 

 fought hard, he will lie like a dead horse, and scarcely 

 stir. You must now again go over him as conscien- 

 tiously as if you were a mesmeric doctor or shampooer : 

 every limb must be ''gentled,'' to use Mr. Eareys ex- 

 pressive phrase ; and with that operation you have com- 

 pleted yowY first and most important lesson. 



You may now mount on the back of an unbroken 

 colt, and teach him that you do not hurt him in that 

 attitude : if he were standing upright he might resist, 

 and throw you from fright; but as he is exhausted and 

 powerless, he has time to find out that you mean him 

 no harm. You can lay a saddle or harness on him, if 

 he has previously shown aversion to them, or any part 

 of them : his head and his tail and his legs are all safe 

 for your friendly caresses ; don't spare them, and speak 

 to him all the time. 



If he has hitherto resisted shoeing, now is the time 

 for handling his fore and hind legs; kindly, yet, if 

 he attempts to resist, with a voice of authority. If 

 he is a violent, savage, confirmed kicker, like Cruiser, 

 or Mr. Gurney's gray colt, or the zebra, as soon as he 

 is dow^n put a pair of hobbles on his hind-legs, like 

 those used for mares during covering. (Frontispiece of 

 Zebra.) These must be held by an assistant on whom 

 you can depend ; and, passed through the rings of the 

 surcingle with his fore-legs tied, you may usefully 



