1 20 Breaking. 



as possible in double ; and I have had several bad jibbers 

 which never showed that tendency for some time after 

 breaking. When the horse is first put in single harness, 

 it should be in a break expressly made with strong and 

 stout shafts, and high enough to prevent his kicking over ; 

 though some horses are able to kick over anything, and 

 no kicking-strap will hold them down. A safety-rein 

 should be added, buckled on to the lower bar of the bit, 

 and passed through a ring on the tug and by the side of 

 the dashboard up to the hand, where it may be held ready 

 for use in case of the horse attempting to bolt. For 

 ordinary use the rein should be put to the cheek, so as to 

 be as little irksome to the horse as possible, and no bear- 

 ing-rein should on any account be used. With these pre- 

 cautions, and with the aid of a breaksman and a liberal 

 quantity of patience, most horses may be broken-in. 

 When there is a great resistance to the breaking to single 

 harness, or a tendency to jib or run away, a stout shaft 

 may be furnished with a projecting bar of iron, and an 

 outrigger applied to the splinter-bar, by which a second 

 bar is fixed ; and then a break horse may be attached 

 outside the shafts, and thus the colt is then compelled to 

 go on or stop by the power of the steady and trained 

 horse. In this mode the reins are applied as for pair- 

 horse driving, and it is a very excellent way of breaking 

 unruly horses ; indeed, I have known it succeed when all 

 other means had failed in an obstinate kicker ; but only, 

 however, for a time, as the vice showed itself nearly as 

 bad as ever after a time. 



Breaking and Teaching a Hunter. 



Breaking is of course required for those colts which are 

 specially intended for hunters, but, except in teaching to 

 jump, it does not differ from the plan adopted in ordinary 

 colt-breaking. The same mouthing-bit which I have al- 

 ready recommended will also suit this kind of horse, but 

 its reins should be buckled considerably tighter, and the 

 horse " put upon it " for an hour a day until he bends 

 himself well. He may also have what is called a " dumb 



