234: TRAINING THE TKCJTTING HORSE. 



and be very sparing in working him against the watch. 

 Keep him in hard and stout condition, and don't trot 

 the race until the race day. Further on I treat of pre- 

 paring for races, and management in races, and while 

 much remains to be said that is applicable to two-year- 

 old training, the order of our work will cover it all as 

 we proceed further on. 



The first jear in harness will have a great effect in 

 many ways, and little mistakes now may have very 

 momentous consequences hereafter, and in no way can 

 more harm be done than by a little indiscretion with 

 the colt's mouth. All you have to do is to check him 

 up about three inches too far, and take a cast-iron grip 

 on him while driving, to blight all his prospects in short 

 order. You want to teach him so that he can be 

 driven " by a silken thread " — driven with a light 

 hand — and you will generally find that at first the colt 

 with a loose check and with the lines h'ing almost 

 loose on his back, will swing off at his own gait, 

 whereas if you put weight on the bit, or check him up 

 tight, he will be fighting it all the while, will be un- 

 balanced in his gait, and be in no temper to trot. Let 

 this ill-treatment be continued for a Avhile, and your 

 colt will have " a hard mouth," and will learn to pull, 

 and to "hog on the bit." Sun ol would have been a 

 puller under any but the most careful treatment. 

 Whenever she showed an inclination to " lug " I would 

 let her have her head, talk to her, and have her go 

 along as easily as possible, without being hard held, 

 and she gradually forgot to pull ; but had I fought her 

 with the bit she would have been ruined. A well 

 trained colt will learn to rate about any gait you set 



