152 THE HORSE. 



to bear the hip-straps hanging loosely over his sides prior to put- 

 ting him in harness. 



THERE is SOME DIFFERENCE OF OPINION among breakers as to 

 the best plan of conducting this operation. Some contend that for 

 every kind of harness the horse ought to be put in with another, 

 who will compel him to move or stop at the will of the driver. 

 Others assert that on the contrary, every young horse should be 

 put in first by himself, and then if he refuse to move he can be 

 allowed to wait till he is tired of inactivity, which practically he 

 soon is. My own opinion is founded upon more than twenty years' 

 experience with all sorts of horses, and I am persuaded that by far 

 the safest and best method is to put every horse into double harness 

 first. Many farmers break their colts in by putting them to plough 

 between two other horses, but the pull at this work is too dead for 

 well-bred colts, and many jibbers are produced in this way. Every 

 high-couraged horse has a tendency to jump forward on the first 

 impulse to do so, and feeling the restraint of the collar he is irri- 

 tated to increase his pull, whereby his shoulders are galled, causing 

 him to dislike his work from the pain which he suffers. It is quite 

 possible to break in a colt of average good temper for single har- 

 ness without putting him first into double, but the plan is always 

 attended with danger to both horse and driver, and I should 

 strongly caution my readers against it. Even after two or three 

 lessons in the double break, which have been quietly submitted to, 

 the colt often turns restive when put in by himself, but still by 

 that time he knows what he has to do, and is not made sulky by 

 being punished without cause. 



THE APPARATUS necessary for breaking to harness consists of, 

 1st, a set of strong double and single harness, made in the ordinary 

 way, except that the crupper for the colt should buckle on one 

 side ; 2dly, a double break of the ordinary construction ; but it is 

 a safe plan to have the whole space between the fore carriage and 

 the splinter-bar made up with iron rods so close together that if a 

 horse kicks he cannot get his legs hung over the bar; 3dly, a 

 single break, to be hereafter described. 



BEFORE THE COLT is put to draw he should be accustomed to 

 the pressure of the harness, and as a matter of course in any case 

 he must have this put on him. Every groom ought to know how 

 to do this, but at the same time in a colt he should be cautioned 

 to proceed slowly and quietly, so as not to frighten him. Mr. 

 Rarey's plan of showing the horse everything which is to be put on 

 him is a very good one, and taking advantage of it, before the collar 

 is slipped over the head a little time may be allowed for the future 

 wearer of it to smell it and examine it with his eyes also. Many 

 breakers, to avoid the danger of alarming their pupils by putting 

 the collar over their heads, have this part made to open at the 



