TO RIDE THE COLT. 47 



cautions, there is no horse so wild but what you can 

 mount him without making him jump. I have tried 

 it on the worst horses that could be found, and have 

 never failed in any case. When mounting, your 

 horse should always stand without being held. A 

 horse is never well broken when he has to be held 

 with a tight rein when mounting ; and a colt is never 

 so safe to mount as when you see that assurance of 

 confidence, and absence of fear, which cause him to 

 stand without holding. 



HOW TO RIDE THE COLT. 



"When you want him to start do not touch him on 

 the side with your heel or do anything to frighten 

 him and make him jump. But speak to him kindly, 

 and if he does not start pull him a little to the left 

 until he starts, and then let him walk off slowly with 

 the reins loose. Walk him around in the stable a 

 few times until he gets used to the bit, and you can 

 turn him about in every direction and stop him as 

 you please. It would be well to get on and off a good 

 many times until he gets perfectly used to it before 

 you take him out of the stable. 



After you have trained him in this way, which 

 should not take you more than one or two hours, 

 you can ride him any where you choose without ever 

 having him jump or make any effort to throw you. 



When you first take him out of the stable be very 

 gentle with him, as he will feel a little more at liberty 



