74 The Horsk Farrieb. 



saddle. When you take these precautions, there is no 

 horse so wild but you can mount him without making 

 him jump. I have tried it on the worst horses that 

 could be found, and have never failed in any case. 

 When moiuithig, your horse should always stand with- 

 out being held. A horse is never well broke when he 

 has to be held with a tight rein when mounting ; and 

 a colt is never so safe to mount, as when you see that 

 assurance of confidence and absence of fear which 

 causes him to stand without holding. 



HOW TO RIDE A COLT. 



When you want him to start, do not touch him on 

 the side with your heel, or do anything to frighten 

 him and make him jump ; but speak to him kindly, and 

 if he does not start, pull him a little to the left until 

 he starts, and then let him walk off slowly with the 

 reins loose. Walk him around in the stable a few 

 times until he gets used to the bit, and you can turn 

 him about in every direction and stop him as you please. 

 It would be well to get on and off a good many times, 

 until he gets perfectly used to it, before you take him 

 out of the stable. 



After you have trained him in this way, which should 

 not take more than one or two hours, you can ride him 

 anywhere you choose without ever having him jump or 

 make an effort to throw you. 



When you first take him out of the stable, be very 

 gentle with him, as he will feel a little more at liberty 

 to jump or run, and be a Httle easier frightened than 

 he was while m the stable. But after handling him so 

 much in the stable, he will be pretty well broke, and 



