REMARKS ON THE HORSE. 21 



whatever. They have caused more horses to hurt or 

 kill themselves than would pay for twice the cost of all 

 the leather halters that have ever been needed for the 

 purpose of haltering colts. It is almost impossible 

 to break a colt that is very wild with a rope halter, 

 without having him pull, rear, and throw himself, 

 and thus endanger his life ; and I will tell you why. 

 It is just as natural for a horse to try to get his 

 head out of anything that hurts it, or feels unplea- 

 sant, as it would be for you to try to get your hand 

 out of a fire. The cords of the rope are hard and 

 cutting ; this makes him raise his head and draw on 

 it, and as soon as he pulls, the slip noose (the way 

 rope halters are always made) tightens, and pinches 

 his nose, and then he will struggle for life, until, 

 perchance, he throws himself; and who would have 

 his horse throw himself, and run the risk of breaking 

 his neck, rather than pay the price of a leather 

 halter? But this is not the worst. A horse that 

 has once pulled on his halter can never be as well 

 broken as one that has never pulled at all. 



KEMARKS ON THE HORSE. 



But before we attempt to do anything more with 

 the colt, I will give you some of the characteristics 

 of his nature, that you may better understand his 

 motions. Every one that has ever paid any attention 

 to the horse, has noticed his natural inclination to 

 smell everything which to him looks new and 



