244 DEAUGHT AND HARNESS. 



It is much better, and in the end shorter, to begin 

 by putting some portions of the harness on the horse 

 in the stable, and then by degrees the whole. If the 

 animal is once brought to eat his corn with his harness 

 on (excepting of course the bridle), standing quietly in 

 his stall, a great step will have been made. The next 

 thing will be to take him out and walk him quietly 

 about, taking care that the traces do not dangle. Then 

 these may be taken down, lengthened a yard or two 

 with a piece of rope, and held by an assistant in rear, 

 whilst the trainer takes the reins, and in this way a 

 good notion may be conveyed to the horse of what he 

 will have to do later. It is evident that a perfectly raw 

 remount or young horse should first of all be lounged 

 and trained to a certain extent under the saddle ; and 

 the more carefully and completely this has been done, 

 the less trouble will there be afterwards, and the less 

 risk of accident. 



It will be found very useful to familiarise a young 

 horse with the vehicle he will have to draw for some 

 days before putting him to it ; and, when it is prac- 

 ticable, letting him, without being in draught, run 

 alongside of another horse actually in harness, is a good 

 way of effecting this object. In Hungary and Poland 

 the peasants often feed their young horses out of their 

 carts for some time before putting them in draught. 



So much for the general preliminary treatment ; and 

 now for the details with regard to harness, &c. One 

 grand rule is, to put as little harness as possible 011 

 your young horse, and let this little be all perfectly 

 strong and serviceable. A trace or strap breaking may 

 spoil everything ; and of course the vehicle itself should 

 be in good order, and as noiseless as possible. English 



