CHAPTEB II. 



VEHICLES, ROLLERS, HARROWS AND MARKERS. 

 A CART FOR BREAKING COLTS. 



Most colts, if taken young enough, and gently, though 

 firmly handled, can be driven as soon as they can be 

 made to know what is wanted of them. Now and then 

 a spirited fellow feels his oats, or is very nervous about 

 the harness, and still more about the wagon, or cart, and 

 rears, and kicks, and pulls side-ways, trips himself up, 

 and goes down in spite our best efforts to prevent it. 

 For such a good, strong breaking-rig is essential. The 

 cart, figure 35, is home-made, except the wheels; for these 

 a pair of strong wagon wheels either front or hind 

 will do. The shafts are a pair of seasoned hickory poles, 

 extending about two feet behind the wheels. They are 

 bolted upon the axle-tree, and underneath these is a 

 lighter pair of poles, attached to the shaft in front, and 

 bolted also to the axle-tree by the same clamps that are 

 used to hold the shafts. These extend back as braces, 

 and are mortised into pieces, which are themselves mor- 

 tised into the shaft-poles near the end. The object of 

 this arrangement is to keep a colt from rearing. The 

 ends of these pieces will bear upon the ground, the mo- 

 ment he lifts himself up. The same result would be ac- 

 complished by having the poles extend far out behind, 

 but this makes turning exceedingly awkward, so that rigs 

 of this kind can only be comfortably used in an open lot. 

 The box, or body of the vehicle, is made with reference to 

 strength, so that it cannot easily be kicked to pieces, nor 

 broken by overturning or being run away with. A strong 

 plank is bolted to the poles in front; uprights, and 

 (35) 



