THE FOOT-STRAP. 75 



ful, reckless, runaway colt. Attach another such strap to 

 the other foot, and you have the most powerful horse 

 helpless. I rarely use the foot-strap or overdraw checks 

 now, as they are only palliative compared to the principle 

 of bringing the horse under direct control by the proper 

 course of subjection, and carrying out that control by the 

 bit. It is only when the horse has no mouth, and is just 

 cunning and treacherous enough to be watching for ad- 

 vantage and then liable to kick, that I would use a check 

 or overdraw. The foot-strap may be found frequently of 

 decided advantage in driving a colt the first time to a 

 wagon or carriage, when you desire -safety in guarding 

 against a possible chance of resisting your control. I do 

 all this now by getting the horse under quick and sure 

 control ; and when I hitch up a horse I have him safe. 



The question is asked, How long will the horse stay 

 broke, and what would you do to break a horse of kick- 

 ing ? Here you give us quite a variety of treatment. In 

 the first place, if you have a bad horse to break, calculate 

 to take a half-day at least for the job. Then go to work 

 carefully and thoroughly ; believe you are doing well to 

 succeed in the time named, and you will be encouraged 

 and gratified when you find your success complete in an 

 hour or two. If a horse is a wildish, fresh, courageous 

 kicker, and the habit has been excited by fear, or natural 

 meanness of disposition, then by all means the regular 

 course of subjection is the surest, easiest, and best, since 

 it overcomes directly the cause of the whole trouble ; when 

 by driving and using the horse kindly, observing 'to test 

 him carefully the next day, and if found at all sensitive, 

 or not fully up to the standard of being entirely gentle, 

 not attempting to jump or resist in any way when the 

 cross-piece comes against the quarters, &c , make that 

 point by all means before you go farther or attempt more. 

 The point is to fix the character so that it is safe ; and if 

 the first lesson does not do this, do no more until you can. 

 There is no need at all to make a failure : it is so easy to 

 dp, and only requires being careful and thorough to suc- 

 ceed, that there can be no excuse for the want of perfect 

 success. If the horse is a savage kicker, one that 

 kicks because he has learned to do it, and is one of 



