TRAINING FOR DRAUGHT. 253 



leading-rein and fixed to the dashboard or elsewhere, so 

 as to be easily within reach. 



In any case it is advisable to bit horses so that they 

 may take a firm leaning on the hand in the first in- 

 stance, and then by degrees the bitting can be altered 

 to suit all the circumstances both of the animal and the 

 driver. Thus one might begin with a snaffle in the 

 manner indicated above, then go on to a light jointed 

 bit of some kind with a curb, and end perhaps with an 

 un jointed one. 



Another mistake frequently committed is the putting 

 an untrained horse to a vehicle in some narrow court 

 or yard, which necessitates perhaps a sharp turning 

 immediately after starting. This should be avoided, 

 and the start made, if possible, on a straight line and 

 on a quiet road, for which reason early morning is the 

 best time for this sort of work. 



Then again, it is a mistake to take a young horse out 

 too far for the first time ; and it is advisable, when 

 practicable, to make a round home, and not return by 

 the same road you went out. It is wonderful how soon 

 and easily horses contract habits which become very 

 troublesome afterwards ; therefore, in training a young 

 horse, one must avoid anything like a routine that is 

 easily mistaken by the animal for a part of its regular 

 duty. One or two quiet steady assistants are indis- 

 pensable, and they should be instructed what to do 

 beforehand ; the less talk and noise made the better ; 

 and the groom, or whoever feeds and tends the animal, 

 should always be near its head at first ; his voice always 

 should inspire confidence, and always does so, unless he 

 is in the habit of ill-using his charge, which is not a 

 frequent occurrence. At first starting, or whenever a 



