84 



BREAKING COLTS. 



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BBEAEING COLTS. 



In the Boston Cultivator of Sept 16, we noticed 

 an engraving illustrating a new mode of breaking 

 colts, by a Mr. Phineas Field. The mode of per- 

 forming this work is so simple and so favorable, that 

 we have made some improvements upon the engrav- 

 ing, and give the description in Mr. Field's own 

 words. He says: " A little more than one year since, 

 having three fine colts that were wholly untutored, I 

 adopted a new expedient for bringing them into sub- 

 jection, which succeeded to a charm. Several of my 

 neighbors availed themselves of the privilege gratui- 

 tously offered them by the use of my apparatus in 

 breaking their colts, and in every case they were de- 

 lighted with the ease, safety and thorough success of 

 the scheme. Last autumn, having bought another 

 large and vigorous colt of three years past in age, 

 and wishing to bring it under subjection, I resorted 

 to the same method that was found so effectual last 

 season, which has been equally satisfactory, both to 

 myself and my neighbors, who have either availed 

 themselves of the use of the apparatus, or have witr 

 nessed its operation ; and in compliance with their 

 suggestion, I send you a drawing of the run-round, 

 now in rig in my yard for breaking colts. To the 

 machine thus completed I harness the colt, I care not 

 how ugly or ungained, buckling the pole strap so 

 short that he will have no slack harness ; then tying 

 his halter to the cross-bar, I pull off his bridle and let 

 him have a fair chance and his own course. He 

 never runs at first, for fear of the wheel before him, 

 but alternately trots and stand still. After the colt 

 has been harnessed an hour or so, I seat myself astride 

 the rear pole at the point where the inner end of the 

 bar supporting the whipple-tree is attached, when he 

 generally starts off at a rapid speed; I retain my seat 

 until the colt comes to a stand, which is always after 

 he has been from six to twenty rounds. I then feed 

 him a handful of oats, and put a wisp of hay in the 

 rope which confines the pole strap, and leave him to 

 pursue his own course. He should be kept harnessed 

 in this way through the day, being visited frequently 



with the oat dish, and supplied with hay, where he 

 can help himself at will. 



The second day let the colt be bridled, with lead- 

 ing lines attached, and fed a few oats as soon as har- 

 nessed, then left for some time to promenade at his 

 leisure, then drove, and taught to start and stop at 

 bidding. After being drilled in this way for half an 

 hour, make fast one of the wheels to a post a little 

 outside of the range, and leave him for an hour or 

 more, thus teaching him to stand; keep him harness- 

 ed through the day, occasionally feeding, driving, 

 backing, and teaching him to stop and to stand still, 

 but using no harsh measures, for none are needed. 

 After three such days of training, I have always suc- 

 ceeded in making a colt completely manageable, and 

 hesitate not to take my wife on board a cutter or 

 wagon for a ride, having done so repeatedly. I con- 

 sider the above method for breaking colts cheap, safe, 

 expeditious and eSectual, and those who have ex- 

 amined the affair, say that a colt broken to go in that 

 machine will go anywhere. 



Explanation of the Drawing. — A post set firm 

 in the ground, and rising three feet, ivith a shouldered 

 three-inch round tenon or pivot at the top. 



Two straight, rough, hard wood poles, thirty feet 

 long, eight inches in diameter at the butt ends, and 

 four inches in diameter at the tops. One of these 

 poles is confined on the top of the post, si.x feet from 

 the butt end by a round mortice, three and a half 

 inches in diameter. The other pole is lapped into 

 the first, near their butt ends, made fast by locking, 

 and by a two-inch pin. 



The hind wheels of a lumber wagon, fitted on the 

 ends of the poles. 



Crossbar, a rough pole twelve feet long, bolted at 

 each end on the long poles, four feet from the wheel 

 hubs. 



Rough pole, bolted on one of the main poles and 

 on the cross bar, to support the whipple-tree. 



An augur hole bored through the forward pole, in 

 which is fastened a rope for confining the pole strap 

 of the harness." — iJV. E. Farmer. 



