EAKLT WOBKING OF CAET COLTft. 295 



country, seems to be on the Increase ; not that I think a, 

 little work, with judicious treatment, due regard being 

 had to their strength, would do a strong two-year-old 

 colt any harm (if worked without shoes on soft ground) ; 

 but the worst of it is, that when such a one settles down 

 kindly to draught work, such as ploughing, dung-cart- 

 ing, or the like, their management is mostly left to ser- 

 vants, many of whom are not sufficiently interested in 

 their master's welfare to take proper care of their 

 horses ; and, even if they are, I do not see how (by the 

 manner colts are generally put to work in teams) their 

 ardour can be regulated at all times ; for although the 

 waggoner may take care that the draught chains of the 

 cunning old shaft horse are kept tight when the load 

 is fairly started, he cannot always make him start at the 

 same moment as the young hot-headed colt a good 

 cart horse always prepares himself by gradual exertion 

 before he makes a start up a steep hill or out of a boggy 

 place ; but the colt jerks and frets, is baulked, and runs 

 back with his tail between his legs, and his croup touch- 

 ing the horse's nose behind him; he tries again, and 

 again he is baulked the heavy load is sinking the wheels 

 into the soft ground and it is in vain that the game 

 old horse in the shaft throws the whole weight of his 

 forehand into the collar, and plants his toes firmly into 

 the soft yielding soil, for he cannot start the ponderous 

 load of manure himself, and the colt is now throwing up 

 his head, turning now a little to this side, and again on 

 that ; he is bewildered by the baulk he has just ex- 



