How to Train for Heavy Draft 95 



In training the draft horse, extra care must be 

 exercised to see that he is in good health and entirely 

 free from abrasions likely to give him annoyance. 

 Thus if the animal has a slight sore on the shoulder, 

 back or tail, the draft increases the pain and he as- 

 sociates the effort to pull with the pain and refuses 

 to go into the collar, and the foundation for a balker 

 is laid. It is also important to see that the harness 

 fits perfectly, and that the pressure is equally dis- 

 tributed over the bearing surface (p. 317). Hitch 

 the horse on the off side of an active even-puller, one 

 that will go into the collar at the command and stay 

 until the command ^Svhoa" is given. Choose a 

 smooth, hard road, avoiding soft ground, and if con- 

 venient let the first few loads be of bulky material, as 

 hay or straw. This will serve to fix the idea in the 

 horse's mind that he can pull anything that is loose. 



Never overload the draft horse in training. The 

 first attempt should be made with a load not exceed- 

 ing 300 pounds. After driving a short distance this 

 may be doubled. Do not ask the young horse to 

 pull more than his share of 1200 or 1500 pounds un- 

 til the idea of going up against the pressure of the 

 collar has become thoroughly fixed in his mind. 



Never train the young draft horse by hitching 

 to a dragging load, as a plow, harrow, drag or wagon 

 on soft earth. Such loads require constant pres- 

 sure and serve to discourage the animal. In the 

 case of the low hitch the pressure on the shoulders 



