Breaking. 117 



occasioning a sore, they show their dislike to the pain by 

 resisting, setting up their backs, and refusing to progress 

 quietly ; but, unless there is something wrong, they will 

 submit to being backed and ridden much more readily 

 than the colts of the common breeds, which have seldom 

 had a head-stall on their heads till a few days before they 

 are backed. I have more than once ridden thorough- 

 bred colts in tolerable comfort within a week or ten days 

 of their being first bitted ; but it is a bad plan, and the 

 longer time their mouths are allowed to become accus- 

 tomed to the bit, the better they ultimately turn out. It 

 will be many months before they are to be depended on 

 under any circumstances ; and when they get an increase 

 of corn they are almost sure to attempt some kind of 

 horse-play ; but the boys easily contend against this, 

 which is very different from the determined efforts of a 

 colt to dislodge its rider. When all these points are tho- 

 roughly accomplished in the breaking, it may be said to 

 be terminated, and the training of the two-year-old com- 

 mences ; the only things yet to be learned are the use of 

 the spur and whip, which should never be employed 

 except as a punishment for faults committed ; that is to 

 say, they should never be used as an every-day practice, 

 for, though every colt should be accustomed to them, it is 

 very seldom that the opportunity is wanting of adminis- 

 tering them for some fault or other. 



A dose of physic will generally be necessary as soon as 

 the breaking is over, and very often it may be required 

 during its progress ; but by the occasional use of a bran 

 mash, and by giving a little green food with the hay, in 

 most cases there will be no necessity for its employment 

 while the breaking is going on, and while the quantity of 

 corn is kept purposely below the usual amount. As soon, 

 however, as the breaker thinks he dare do so, the corn is 

 increased to the usual quantity, and then a dose of physic, 

 preceded as usual by two bran mashes, will prevent that 

 feverish condition which so often comes on after breaking, 

 when the restraints of the stable are substituted for the 

 freedom of the fields. 



