TO BREAK TO HARNESS. 99 



straight, and giving him a little touch with the whip, he 

 will go along without any trouble. 



" Never use martingales on a colt when you first ride 

 him ; every movement of the hand should go right to 

 the bit in the direction in which it is applied to the reins, 

 without a martingale to change the direction of the 

 force applied. You can guide the colt much better 

 without it, and teach him the use of the bit in much less 

 time. Besides, martingales would prevent you from 

 pulling his head round if he should try to jump. 



" After your colt has been ridden until he is gentle and 

 well accustomed to the bit, you may find it an advantage, 

 if he carries his head too high or his nose too far out, to 

 put martingales on him. 



" You should he careful not to ride your colt so far at first 

 as to heat, worry, or tire him. Get off as soon as you see 

 he is a little fatigued ; gentle him and let him rest ; this 

 will make him kind to you, and prevent him from getting 

 stubborn or mad. 



" TO BREAK A HORSE TO HAR^'ESS. 



" Take liim in a light stable, as you did to ride him ; 

 take the harness and go through the same process that 

 you did with the saddle, until you get him familiar with 

 it, so that you can put it on him, and rattle it about 

 without his caring for it. As soon as he will bear this, 

 put on the lines, caress him as you draw them over him, 

 and drive him about in the stable till he will bear them 

 over his hips. The lines are a great aggravation to some 

 colts, and often frighten them as much as if you were 

 to raise a whip over them. As soon as he is familiar 

 with the harness and lines, take him out and put him by 



