RENDERING THE TASK EASY. 223 



who has the charge of him from his birth ? They or 

 he should be the colt-breaker, or rather the colt- 

 teacher. 



Now the riding-master is quite a different person, 

 and a very necessary one — not to make the colt 

 carry quiet, for this he ought to have done long be- 

 fore he takes him in hand, but he is Avanted to teach 

 him to carry himself handsomely, to do all his paces 

 in the same way, ride to a good mouth, get accus- 

 tomed to be ridden in crowds, go in company with other 

 horses, face all sorts of strange sights, and hundreds 

 of other thino;s that his ao-e and the situation he has 

 hitherto been placed in rendered it impossible to 

 teach him before. None of this will require any 

 severity on the part of the rider : on the contrary, 

 merely encouragement and practice : nor to effect this 

 mil it be necessary to strike the colt in anger with 

 Avhip or spur during the whole of his tutelage, no jDart 

 of which should be made fatiguing, or, in short, even 

 unpleasant to him. Whether the riding-master may 

 be wanted at all wiU depend on whether or not the 

 owner has capability, patience, or inclination to act 

 the part himself ; if he has, so much the better for the 

 colt. Some colts are naturally fine goers, and as 

 naturally carry themselves well. With such very 

 little trouble will be required ; but as many do neither 

 well, they will require a considerable quantum on 

 the part of the rider of that sovereign panacea for 

 perfecting horses in any thing — patience. This with 

 many horsemen, and I think I may say with all colt- 

 breakers, gets exhausted much too soon. A man 

 might ask, if he had had patience for a considerable 

 time with an uncommonly awkward colt, " how long 

 am 1 to have patience with the brute ?" The answer 



