THE COLT. 



35 



powerful horses completely safe in the hands of an ordi- 

 nary man in a few minutes, without the least danger or 

 abuse. I subject the colt simply to the second method of 

 subjection, after which, as soon as he will lead promptly, 

 which I make him do easily with the war-bridle, I put on 

 the harness with breaking-bit, to which there is soon 

 complete obedience; and in ten or fifteen minutes, an 

 ordinary good colt that had never been harnessed, possibly 

 not haltered, will act as gently as any old horse. 



If a strong, wild, dangerous colt, you must proceed 

 cautiously. The first step is to turn him into a small yard 



Haltering the Colt. 



or barn, where there is no chance to run very far, or break 

 away : it would alarm him too much to try to catch and 

 hold him to put on the halter, and besides, there is danger 

 of being hurt. This difficulty you can easily overcome as 

 follows : Get a light pole, ten or twelve feet in length, or 

 as much longer as you can use to advantage, if the colt is 

 very wild or dangerous, and drive two nails into it, about 

 eight inches apart, the first about an inch from the end, 

 with the heads bent a little outward from each other. 

 Take a common rope halter, with a running noose, pull 



