BEEAKING COLTS. 167 



once thoroughly accomplished, the benefit will well repay 

 the time thus employed. It is not pleasant to walk day 

 after day behind a colt, watching his slightest motion ; 

 now touching him with the whip to straighten him or 

 make him answer the bit, compelling him to stop at the 

 word of command, and to move in a straight line till you 

 signalize him to turn with the rein. This is not as pleas- 

 ant as to sit in a sulky, and have him draw you while ad- 

 ministering the lesson ; yet you teach him this way far 

 more thoroughly. If placed in the shafts before he knows 

 what the bit means, or what is required of him in this new 

 situation, he will be far more likely to get in trouble. 

 Should he move sideways till he strikes the shaft, he is 

 frightened, and throws himself violently against it, upset- 

 ting the sulky, or he becomes sullen and will not move at 

 all. The sharp single blow of the whip that you can give 

 in the former situation with impunity, cannot now be ven- 

 tured on without risk. You lead and coax till he plainly 

 understands he has got the advantage, and will keep it. 

 I can exemplify this by recounting my " experience " with 

 a young mare I was training. She had been broken when 

 I got her, and the first notice I had of there being any 

 thing wrong, was her refusal to go past the barn, which 

 was within twenty yards of the track. If led for a few 

 rods, she would go on till she came around, only to be 

 more determined in her obstinacy. A touch of the whip 

 showed she had been coerced in that way, and knew how 

 to resent it by wheeling so abruptly as to endanger up- 

 setting the vehicle. I took her out of the shafts, took a 

 long whip and gave her the word to proceed. She shook 

 her head when a light touch of the whip was given. The 

 moment she attempted to wheel I hit her with all the force 

 I was master of in one blow. She retaliated by kicking as 

 violently as I had struck. I straightened her into the 

 track, and on her refusal struck her the one severe blow 



