Stabling Colts. 53 



One wrong move may frighten your horse, and 

 make hirn think it necessary to escape at all hazards 

 for the safety of his life, and thus make a two hours' 

 work of a ten minutes' job ; and this would be all your 

 fault, and entirely unnecessary; for he will not run 

 unless you run after him, and that would not be good 

 policy, unless you knew that you could outrun him ; 

 for you will have to let him stop of his own accord af- 

 ter all. But he will not try to break away, unless you 

 attempt to force him into measures. If he does not 

 see the way at once, and is a little fretful about going 

 in, do not undertake to drive him, but give him a little 

 ' less room outside, by gently closing in around him. 

 Do not raise your arms, but let them hang at your 

 side ; for you might as well raise a club. If he at- 

 tempts to turn back, walk before him, but do not run ; 

 and if he gets past you, encircle him again in the same 

 quiet manner, and he will soon find that you are not 

 going to hurt him ; and then you can walk so close 

 around him that he will go into the stable for more 

 room, and to get farther from you. As soon as he is 

 in, remove the quiet horse and shut the door. This 

 will be his first notion of confinement — not knowing 

 how he got in such a place, nor how he got out of it. 

 That he may take it as quietly as possible, see that the 

 stable is entirely free from dogs, chickens, or anything 

 that would annoy hhn ; then give him a few ears of 

 corn, and let him remain alone fifteen or twenty min- 

 utes, until he has examined his apartment, and has be- 

 come reconciled to his confinement. 



