276 BREAKING TO HARNESS. 



short time, put him in the trap as before described. After 

 the horse has been circled to the left at the walk and trot 

 and has been found to go steadily, we should change the 

 reins to the off side and circle the horse at the walk and 

 trot to the right, in a manner similar to that which' we did 

 on the near side. We may now, with all proper precautions, 

 put an assistant on the driving seat, and circle the horse to 

 the right and left. After a short time, we may give the 

 assistant a pair of ordinary driving reins attached to the 

 snaffle, and passed through the rings of the harness pad. If 

 we have seen fit to employ assistants on foot and a strait- 

 jacket, we may dispense with their aid, and get one helper 

 on the box to gradually assume command, while we follow 

 the horse round without interfering with his mouth. As 

 soon as he appears to be reliable, we may take off the long 

 reins and confine the guidance of the animal to the man on 

 the box, or get on to it ourselves. Nothing further remains, 

 before taking the horse on the road, than to teach him to 

 start off, go steadily from the walk into the trot, or from 

 the trot into the walk, turn, rein-back, and pull-up. I think 

 this method of breaking a horse singly is much to be pre- 

 ferred to putting him first of all into double harness ; as it 

 teaches him to work indejDendently of a companion, and the 

 fact of not having another horse near him, secures his atten- 

 tion. Besides, being more under the control of the breaker, he 

 is less inclined to contract the vices of jibbing or of hanging 

 back from the collar, than if he were put in double harness. 

 The breaker, if expert, and with only one assistant, can 

 make any horse which has been well broken to saddle, and 

 whose temper has not been spoiled by injudicious attempts 



