110 Training the Trotter, Coacher and Roadster 



failure than if they go wrong at five or six years of 

 age. 



The effect of breeding for early maturity and early 

 training upon the future usefulness of the horse is a 

 much discussed question. Formerly many breeders 

 were of the opinion that such practice had a tendency 

 to weaken the horse, while others were equally as 

 certain that both early maturity and early training 

 better fitted the animal to perform his life-w^ork. 

 Volumes have been written upon this particular 

 question. As a rule at the present time, practical 

 men favor early maturity, though they agree that 

 early training calls for much more tact and judgment 

 than the training of a mature animal. They are 

 strong in the conviction that the colt can be trained 

 for speed from his infancy and that such training, if 

 judiciously given, will prove a great and lasting bene- 

 fit and make him a better aged horse. 



METHOD OF TRAINING WHILE YOUNG 



The youngster should be trained much as sug- 

 gested in the discussion on training the foal (p. 26). 

 With the lighter and more active types of horses it 

 is very important that they be handled and taught 

 to lead with halter and drive with lines as suggested. 

 It is essential that the colt's entire confidence be se- 

 cured and maintained, otherwise the trainer must 

 work at a disadvantage. To be successful, a mutual 



