HAN^DBOOK OF THE TTRF. 41 



or mixed with oats, or moistened with cold water. It is 

 hardly necessary to state that it should be fresh and sweet. 



Break. To change from one gait to another; to dis- 

 unite the diagonal beats. In doing tliis the horse endeavors to 

 accelerate his speed by longer strides without passing into the 

 gallop, which he would do if not held back or if the urging by 

 whip or voice were continued. Also, a common but wrong 

 word used to designate the early training or education of the 

 colt; to break a colt is to accustom it to the harness and 

 vehicle ; to subdue, to train, to educate. 



Breaking". The act of changing gaits at speed. In 

 breaking, a horse usually gives some sign to the driver, either 

 by a wobble, jerk or instantaneous change, that he is to break, 

 and by understanding this peculiarity of the horse, the driver 

 can generally save the break, provided the horse is under good 

 control. In the early days, before the wholesome discipline of 

 the trotting rules came into force, horses were taught to break 

 in order to gain, but now such a manner of training is obsolete 

 — it is the square, steady trotter that wins and always has the 

 protection of the track and judges. The National and Ameri- 

 can rules provide that a horse in breaking must be immedi- 

 ately pulled to his gait, and if this is not done, the driver is 

 liable to lose the heat even though he come out ahead, and the 

 next best horse given the heat. Repeated breaks, running or 

 going in a mixed gait, while another horse is trotting, is liable 

 to result in punishment to such horse. A horse breaking four 

 times in one heat is regarded as "repeatedly breaking." If a 

 driver, iii the opinion of the judges, allows his horse to make 

 repeated breaks for the purpose of fraudulently losing a heat, 

 he is liable to severe penalty. The judges must call out by 

 colors, letters or numbers, and the clerk or assistant shall 

 record the breaks made by each horse in each heat. 



I for one believe that the time will come when no horse will be entitled 

 to a heat it he makes a break in it, ami I would vote for that now. — 

 Life with the Trotters, John Splan. 



Break-and-Catcli. The art of driving in a way to 

 make the horse catch quickly after a break, is one of supreme 

 importance to the driver. The methods, however, will vary 

 with horses of different dispositions, and the driver shoitld find 

 out by careful study, the best way in which a horse can be 

 brought to his gait. In whatever manner it is done, after 

 ascertaining that which is best, do it exactly the same every 

 time, using the same rein, the same pull or catch of bit, and 

 the same word. There are many good reasons why the horse 

 should be taught to catch on the inside rein, or near side. 



