42 TO ACCUSTOM A HORSE TO A BIT. 



anything about pulling. But if you have broken 

 your horse to lead, and have learned him the use of 

 the halter (which you should always do before you 

 hitch him to anything), you can hitch him in any 

 kind of a stall, and give him something to eat to 

 keep him up to his place for a few minutes at first, 

 and there is not one colt in fifty that will pull on his 

 halter. 



THE KIND OF BIT, AND HOW TO ACCUSTOM A 

 HORSE TO IT. 



You should use a large, smooth, snaffle bit, so as 

 not to hurt his mouth, with a bar to each side, to 

 prevent the bit from pulling through either way. 

 This you should attach to the head-stall of your 

 bridle, and put it on your colt without any reins to 

 it, and let him run loose in a large stable or shed 

 some time, until he becomes a little used to the bit, 

 and will bear it without trying to get it out of his 

 mouth. It would be well, if convenient, to repeat 

 this several times, before you do anything more with 

 the colt ; as soon as he will bear the bit, attach a 

 single rein to it, without any martingale. You 

 should also have a halter on your colt, or a bridle 

 made after the fashion of a halter, with a strap to it, 

 so that you can hold or lead him about without 

 pulling on the bit much. He is now ready for the 

 saddle. 



