6o Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



More summary methods must be employed with 

 more mature colts, or horses fully developed and 

 able to resist (and these same plans may be used for 

 the youngsters, but gentler ways answer best for 

 them). The operations of a few "vicious horse" 

 handlers have made these proceedings (elaborated 

 and spoiled by them for show purposes) familiar in 

 detail, and they all include the same principle — 

 rendering the horse from the start powerless to 

 resist, and obliging him to yield at length to almost 

 any demand. Modified to meet individual require- 

 ments, these methods, though rough and ready, are 

 very effective, and are detailed in the chapter on 

 " Vice and Its Correction." 



Colts are trained to saddle by simply putting a 

 boy up (the pad or saddle having no stirrups), hav- 

 ing a man at each side, with a rope to the headstall 

 to hold the colt, and also to give the lad a hand 

 if the youngster bucks hard. Thoroughbred year- 

 lings are generally following each other around the 

 track, with boys up, and quite sedate, within two 

 days after being first backed, and in a week or 



