LEADING THE YOUNGSTERS. 195 



any special teaching, but then again he may take a 

 notion to ])ull the opposite way. Here is the apphance 

 by which the difficulty is best overcome : Take a small 

 rope and make a good-sized loop, large enough to throw 

 over the colt's buttocks, leaving the head — the knot — 

 of the loop about his wither. Xow run the free end of 

 the rope through the halter ring. In addition to this 

 you will have already snapped the regular leading line 

 or strap into the halter-ring. Xow take your leading 

 line in one hand, with the free end of the body ro})e in 

 the other, and tell him to come along, at the same time 

 gentl}^ drawing him by the leading line. If he comes 

 easily do not make any use of the body rope and do 

 not put the slightest weight upon it, but be careful not 

 to let it drop down too far on his legs. If, however, he 

 hangs back, pull him along sharply by the body rope, 

 and he will soon see that there is only one way to get 

 along easily, and that is to obey the leadmg line, for he 

 has to come along any wa\^. He cannot resist the pres- 

 sure around his quarters. There should not be many of 

 these lessons required until he is thoroughly under the 

 control of the halter. We have always found it best 

 to keep two colts together in these earlier days, both 

 in the boxes and at work. They like company, are 

 far more contented, and learn quicker. If you take 

 one little fellow off by himself to teach him the ways of 

 the halter he is far more likely to become frightened 

 than if he has another to go through the process with 

 him. I suppose that in all these first lessons the 

 youngster experiences some mental misery, and it is 

 said that "misery loves company„" A scared horse 

 has no sense ; he must have sense if he is to learn any- 



