ON BREAKING RACING COLTS. 36g 



the little time be is sitting here, he should make much 

 of the colt. He should then take up the reins, but at 

 first he should handle them cautiously. The colt- 

 breaker should now lead the colt, and the man on his 

 back should sit perfectly still, and unless he is obliged 

 for his own safety, he should not immediately press 

 his knees or calves of his legs too strongly against the 

 colt's sides. If he feels himself setting up his back, and 

 thinks that he is inclined to make a bound or two, the 

 rid^' must, of course, sit firm and well down in the 

 saddle, and endeavour to keep the colt's head up. The 

 colt-breaker should check the caveson-rein, and also 

 assist in keeping up the colt's head. They should both 

 keep working quietly at his head until he desists. He 

 should then be led a few times each way round the 

 lounge ; if he appears tolerably quiet, he may be pulled 

 up and made much of, and then led about on the down 

 with the man on him, and the colt breaker riding by 

 the side of him on his hack. 



As soon as the colt is perfectly reconciled to his 

 rider, he may be rode home. The man should take 

 great notice of him before he dismounts, and also 

 after he has dismounted, previously to putting him in 

 the stable. 



In the breaking of a number of colts, it will be 

 found that some few of them will require more time 

 and perseverance than others. Before mounting such 

 colts, it may be as well to work them a little longer than 

 the others; and at the time of mounting a colt of this de- 

 scription, it may not be amiss to let a lad stand by, with 



