256 BALKING. 



usually be but a very few minutes' work to make him so 

 afraid of being pulled upon and hurt, that he will be the 

 first to start at the command. This accomplished, put on 

 a little loading, gradually increasing it until he learns to 

 use his strength reliably. To fix the impression thoroughly, 

 it may be necessary to keep the pole on a few days. 



The Patent Bridle will be found to work very nicely in 

 the management of these cases. The reins are simply re- 

 versed, so as to pull ahead instead of back, and tied to the 

 end of the pole. 



OVERLOADING. 



There is a general inclination among teamsters to over- 

 load. This is very common in large cities. While engaged 

 in making illustrations for this work in New York City, I 

 daily passed through Fulton and other streets, and fre- 

 quently took a side street to avoid witnessing the abuse 

 to which horses were subjected in consequence of being 

 overloaded. It was no unusual thing to see a team 

 whipped severely while pulling to their utmost power, and 

 finally compelled to stop for want of strength to go farther. 

 The team never should be compelled to draw more than it 

 is able to pull easily over the worst parts of the road. This 

 should be the rule. The strain, and pulling in this way, 

 will sometimes injure a horse more in a few minutes than 

 working reasonably hard all day. 



When a horse is unaccustomed to work before a wagon 

 or plow, is unsteady and easily irritated, especially in plow- 

 ing, it is advisable to let him go around a few times before 

 putting the plow into the ground. A little patience at the 

 beginning, in this way, will frequently enable working a 

 horse in gentle that would otherwise be easily spoiled. 

 The following advice is so good, and so much in point, that 

 I include it here : 



