200 TRAINING THE TROTTING HORSE. 



use the larger one when Ave wish to see how colts of 

 say a year and a half to two years handle themselves. 

 This track can be used, hoAvever, to very good advan- 

 tage, though as between the two the smaller one will 

 be found the more useful, and easier to train in. Two 

 men can train in the smaller paddock, and it will re- 

 quire three to properly work a colt in the larger one. 



NoAV Ave have the track all ready, and as we had the 

 colt thoroughly halter-Avise before describing AAdiat the 

 training-paddock is like, Ave are ready to give him his 

 first lessons. After the colt has been given his break- 

 fast and had his general morning " fixing up," we snap 

 the leading-line into the halter and take him oA^er to 

 the paddock, ^ow Ave put on the boots, and must be 

 very careful that they fit thoroughly and are the work 

 of some one Avho knows hoAV to make boots for young 

 colts. HaA^e good shin- boots all around — boots tuat 

 Avill thoroughly protect the shins and tendons, that fit 

 well and Avill not chafe. You also Avant quarter-boots 

 all around, and I much prefer the bell -boot. Some 

 horsemen profess to have a great aversion to boots* 

 and ncA^er tire talking of "the kind that go without 

 boots." Because we boot a colt is no reason for sup- 

 posing that Ave know he Avill strike himself. They are 

 used as a safeguard — as a preventive against possible 

 accidents and injuries. You may work a colt or horse 

 nine times without boots and he ma}^ ncA^er touch a 

 hair, but the tenth time he may make a false step, may 

 find a bad place in the track, become unbalanced and 

 break, and I care not hoAv pure-gaited he may be, he is 

 quite likely to cut a quarter or strike a tendon, or sus- 

 tain any of the many varieties of such injuries, ranging 



