THE HOESE EDUCATOE. * 29 



ses the liorse, weary ^vitll liavin^ its head forced 

 into an unnatural position, to bear, to weigh, to 

 hang upon the bits, — to become accustomed to 

 their pressure, and to find pleasure instead of 

 pain from it, so that at the last, it acquires a 

 mouth perfectly unimpressive and muscles set 

 and rigid. 



Shortly after this the colt should be worked in 

 a circle, Avith a long cord attached to the break" 

 ing-bits in a smooth grass field, by which means 

 he is taught his paces, taught to regulate them, 

 taught to moderate, to increase or diminish his 

 speed, to change his leg, to come toward the 

 operator, or to stop dead short at a signal either 

 of the voice or crack of the whip. For this it 

 requires onl}^ time, patience and good temj^er to 

 efiect, and when effected, half the business is 

 done. 



No attempt should be made, to i:>ut the colt 

 to work before he is three and a half to four 

 years old, and it would be far better to exact 



