86 HORSE PORTRAITURE. 



never touch the food if he thought he was observed, and 

 I have watched him from a position where I knew he could 

 not see me, but never during the whole winter detected 

 him feeding. The mess that was put in the box would be 

 gone by morning ; and the amount increased till he was 

 eating as much or more than any colt on the place, though 

 he still kept poor. The following summer was much the 

 same ; he keeping up his dignity by never joining the 

 other colts, feeding alongside his mother ; when she went 

 among the other mares, he kept aloof, as if there was deg- 

 radation in the association. That winter he had the box 

 to himself, but no change took place in either his appear- 

 ance or habits. 



Towards spring, I made up my mind to halter-break 

 him, and taking advantage of a deep fall of snow, so that 

 he would be less likely to injure himself, I had to get 

 the assistance of two men to get the halter on him. We 

 thought it the best way to Bareyize, or rather, to place 

 the merit where it belongs, follow Dennis Offut's plan, but 

 here was a case where it was apparent it would not do. 

 When laid down, after the most tremendous struggle I 

 ever witnessed, you could see he would never succumb 

 till life was extinct. Every muscle was swollen, the eyes 

 bloodshot, and his whole appearance like a horse suffering 

 with lockja',7. I undid the straps, put a long rope on the 

 halter, determined that if he could not be broken without 

 these much vaunted appliances he should remain as he 

 was. He sprung away as far as the rope would allow, and 

 when found he could get no further, he commenced walk- 

 ing in a circle, his eye never for an instant neglecting to 

 watch my movements. 



I continued this treatment from day to day, until he 

 would follow, but always at the extreme length of the 

 rope. Spring-time came, and I was away from home till 

 July. It was not thought safe to allow him to run in the 



