Breaking. 109 



a very common practice for the blacksmith to cut out the 

 heels of these colts, but I am satisfied that, by the use of 

 tips only, the heels may be left in a state of nature, and 

 will need no cutting into shape. With the frog they are 

 best left to grow and fulfil the functions which Nature 

 has assigned to them. 



Tying-up in the Stable. 



The next process is the tying-up in the stall, which the 

 colts may now be accustomed to, inasmuch as they have 

 fully proved the power of the halter or leading-rein in 

 their struggles to avoid passing objects ; and they will not 

 therefore fight much when tied up in the stable. The 

 head-stall should fit very closely, and the throat-lash be 

 sufficiently tight to prevent the colt from pulling it off in 

 his efforts to get free ; for if the young Animal finds he 

 can effect his object once, he is a long time before he 

 ceases to try it again. The colt is often very fidgety : if 

 so, he must be at once compelled to stand still, by the 

 use of wooden balls attached to the fetlocks by leather 

 straps, which soon accustom him to a steady position, 

 from the blows which they inflict upon him when he 

 struggles or moves rapidly from side to side. A breast- 

 girth may also be put on as a forerunner of the breast- 

 cloth ; and it will also serve to prevent the roller, which 

 is constantly worn, from getting back under the flank, and 

 thereby irritating the wearer. All the ordinary stable 

 practices may now gradually be taught, such as washing 

 out the feet, dressing, hand-rubbing the legs, &c., and 

 the colt should be made to turn from side to side of his 

 stall at the wish of his attendant groom, who may easily 

 conduct the whole process without the aid of any regular 

 breaker, unless the temper of the colt is such as to demand 

 extraordinary skill and address ; and even here the groom 

 accustomed to thorough-bred colts is often a better hand 

 than the colt-breaker, who is engaged in breaking all 

 sorts of animals, and will not bestow sufficient time upon 

 the valuable racing colts and fillies. Now, without full 

 time it is impossible to bring these young things into 

 subjection, and the consequence is that their tempers are 



