8 EVERY MAN HIS OWN TRAINER. 



fee is fifty or one hundred dollars, in the end it is cheaper 

 than a service fee for nothing, or from some inferior horse 

 whose service fee can be obtained for ten or fifteen dollars. 



Pedigree is closely looked into these days, and the popu- 

 lar and fashionably bred stock is what brings the money. 

 Why? Because it has been demonstrated that it became 

 popular because that blood could trot to the front in fast 

 time, and that is what wealthy gentlemen are looking for. 



To show how certain are the results when certain rules 

 are followed, I will mention an advertisement I saw for the 

 sale of certain stock. The owner agreed that if any purchase 

 did not enter the 2:30 list, after a certain amount of training, 

 the purchase money need not be paid. The stock was all the 

 produce of dams who had records below 2:20, and had already 

 proved themselves producers. The sires were trotters ; they 

 also had representatives in the magic circle, and their sires 

 also had first honors. 



We will suppose again that you have been wise and have 

 a first class four months' old foal at its mother's side ready to 

 wean. Put a five-ring leather halter upon him with a leather 

 stale and let him run about with it on, the stale or lead strap 

 dangling, and he will virtually halter break himself. When 

 you approach the colt take hold of the halter strap carefully, 

 if he flies back ease away on him, if he comes up to you 

 treat him kindly, caress him and talk to him ; do not bother 

 him too long at one time, but be kind to him at all times. It 

 would be well to have an apple or piece of sugar in your hand 

 to give him, in fact, kindness will do more for one of the 

 horse kind than brute force will. You will be surprised how 

 short a time and little trouble it takes to teach a young colt 

 what you wish him to do. 



When he is nicely halter broken and weaned, then it 

 remains for the owner to say whether he will now commence 

 to develop his speed. Some prefer early development, others 

 prefer to wait for more mature years, and say early develop- 

 ment means early decay, and I will wait and have a fast horse 



