CHAPTER II 

 TRAINING THE FOAL 



The foal should be handled and taught a few sim- 

 ple lessons while young. As a rule, the farmer or 

 horse breeder is so very busy at the time the foal is 

 born that the youngster is neglected. He is not given 

 an opportunity to become acquainted with his master. 

 Often he is treated as an outcast. Because he gets 

 in the way or does that which he should not, he is 

 punished. Such treatment may be continued until 

 weaning time, when the youngster is turned out to 

 rough it until three years of age. At this age he is 

 caught up, '^broken," and put to work. Soon the 

 owner begins to wonder why his horse did not attain 

 the size of that of his neighbor's ; why the animal 

 cannot accomplish the work he should ; why he 

 developed such whims as lolling his tongue, stripping 

 his bridle, tearing his blanket, cribbing, wind-sucking, 

 and the like ; and such vice as switching the tail, 

 biting, kicking, balking, running away, and so on, 

 all of which are due to lack of training, care and 

 management while young. 



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