54: The Horse Farrier. 



THE KIND OF HALTER. 



Always use a leather halter, and be sure to have it 

 made so that it will not draw tight around his nose, 

 if he pulls on it. It should be of the right size to fit 

 his head easily and nicely, so that the nose-band will 

 not be too tight or too low. Never put a rope halter 

 on an unbroken colt, under any circumstances what- 

 ever. They have caused more horses to hurt or kill 

 themselves, than would pay for twice the cost of all 

 leather halters that ever have been needed for the pur- 

 pose of haltering colts. It is almost impossible to 

 break a colt that is very wild with a rope halter, with- 

 out having him pull, rear, and throw himself, and thus 

 endanger his life ; and I will tell you why. It is just 

 as natural for a horse to try to get his head out of 

 anything that hurts it, or feels unj)leasant, as it would 

 be for you to try to get your hand out of a fire. The 

 cords of the rope are hard and cutting ; this makes 

 him raise his head and draw on it, a slip-noose, (the 

 way the halters are always made,) tightens, and pinches 

 his nose, and then he will struggle for life, until, per- 

 chance, he throws himself; and who would have his 

 horse throw himself, and run the risk of breaking his 

 neck, rather than pay the price of a leather halter ? 

 But this is not the worst. A horse that has once 

 pulled on his halter, can never be as well broken as 

 one that has never pulled at all. 



REMARKS ON THE HORSE. 



But before we attempt to do anything more with the 

 colt, I will give you some of the characteristics of his 

 nature, that you may better understand his motions. 



