210 APPENDIX. 



nothing of the bit or rein, beingj^ overworked and limited in time ; told 

 a man, who had been with me for years and worked well, to hitch up 

 and drive this colt gently, and by all means must not excite her — to 

 take his time, work her slow, that on any account he must not excite 

 her. But treating her as he would a common colt and getting her mad, 

 she resisted the most severe and abusive treatment, which he, by losing 

 his temper, inflicted in his effort to drive her in this way. The conse- 

 quence was the colt was not fit to be seen or handled for two weeks. 

 The owner generously overlooking the matter, and when over the effects 

 of the abuse, in twenty minutes I was able to drive her as I desired 

 gently, and did successfully in the presence of her owner, without the 

 least excitement or abuse. 



I refer to these cases, out of hundreds I could mention, to show that 

 assumed experience and practice is not all that is necessary. Behind 

 all this, firm, sound judgment is necessary, and this is what makes true 

 success in this or any other field of effort. 



This sort of nameless knack or skill, I will call it, is always called 

 for in working in some horses; those, I mean, of a really courageous, 

 determined resistance. But at the foundation of it is being careful 

 and patient. A colt or horse that is sensitive, especially colts, must 

 be worked along slowly, first with the harness only. If the colt will 

 not go straight ahead at first, pull the near rein out of the shaft loop 

 or terret, shorten your hold of it and he will come around you 

 in a circle freely. Reverse this and gradually let out until you can 

 drive on a straight line, but do not go any further until there is prompt, 

 free obedience to the reins. The next step should be driving to 

 poles, as explained on page 51. A little slow, careful work now will 

 lay the foundation of making your after-work easy and sure. Rough, 

 careless work now may start the colt in kicking, balking, resisting 

 in some way that will require very careful, thorough handling to 

 thoroughly overcome. 



Always make the point first of making the colt gentle to be handled 

 and touched all over, behind and before. From this proceed to train 

 as desired. The constantly varying conditions of disposition and habit 

 call for much genius to attain success. It demands, anyhow, strong 

 control of the passions and a firm resolution to be patient, in fact the 

 highest qualities of good sense and manhood are demanded back of 

 all your efforts. There is often required great hazard and great firm- 

 ness and courage. But this does not imply foolhardy rashness. No- 

 thing should be trusted to chance that precautionary measures can 

 prevent. It is no evidence of skill to get hurt, run away with or 

 kicked, or that you had such and such accidents. It is true skill to 

 anticipate such trouble and guard against it, or overcame 't. You 

 should study those causes that are at the foundation in .coiling horses. 

 For example, in exciting undue fear, in making horse , vicious, your 

 lesson and other parts of this work will aid in giving a knowledge of 

 this duty in its complexity of bearing. Following out these analogies, 

 you will notice changes of expression peculiar to disposition and habit. 

 The leerish expression of the kicker, the sulky expression of the 



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