EVERY MAN HIS OWN TRAINER 9 



instead of a fast colt and a broken down, aged horse; I will 

 wait until he is about two years old. 



In the first place, when the colt is taken from his mother, 

 he should be well fed. In my opinion there is more injury 

 done a weanling foal by not feeding than overfeeding; he 

 should be kept in a nice, warm box stall, and fed what good 

 hay he can eat and from four to six quarts of oats per day. 

 He is yet too young to bit, and if you want to develop speed 

 in the youngster make a bridle of the halter, pass the halter 

 strap over the neck and tie into lead ring on the other side ; 

 take the colt close up to the head by the left hand, laying the 

 right elbow over the colt's shoulder and taking hold of the 

 rein on the off side ; take a whip in the right hand, holding 

 it over the shoulder, turned backward toward the hips — in that 

 way the colt is kept going straight ahead. Great care should 

 be taken to not put any more weight on the colt's back than 

 the weight of the arm. This work should be done by a light- 

 handed, nimble footed boy or young man, so as not to make 

 the colt do all the work. A good way is to lead the colt a 

 short distance from the stable in which he is kept, then turn 

 him around carefully, and start him l)ack to the stable as fast 

 as he will go easily. This you might do two or three times 

 in succession, but be very careful not to be harsh with him. 

 If he is dull and obstinate, don't force hiin with the whip or 

 pulling, but put him away until the next day, as horses, like 

 people, do not feel each day alike, and you can do a great 

 am.ount of harm to a colt by attempting to force him in the 

 commencement of his education. If the colt is playful, 

 capers, and runs, don't set him back on his haunches or break 

 his neck, but go up the road again with him and let him know 

 by kindness what you want of him, and in a very few days, 

 with such lessons, if he has an)' natural speed he will show it; 

 but, of course, this treatment will improve a lunk head if fol- 

 lowed up any length of time. 

 '• 



Of course the well-bred will develop and improve much 



faster than the cold-blooded one. These lessons may be 



