316 THE PHELIMINARY STEP. 



with unsatisfactory results, few will dispute who 

 have ridden horses just fresh from the breaker's 

 hands. Their education is half complete, and^ like 

 boys who have been hurried injudiciously through 

 the first rudiments of Latin and Greek, they will 

 have to commence de now under a more skilful 

 master. 



Thus I say that when, whether by Mr. Rarey's 

 plan or the rough usage of a country colt-breaker, 

 horses are bitted and backed within a few hours or 

 a few days of being first handled, it is a bad prac- 

 tice, and fraught with evil consequences to the 

 animal, with no benefit to the owner. The chief 

 object in the instruction of all animals for useful 

 purposes is not to force but to lead them to un- 

 derstand what you wish them to do, and they will 

 then do it willingly. The preliminary step is of 

 course to familiarise the animal to his owner or 

 master, and this will require a little time and 

 patience, with a great deal of kind treatment, 

 as horses and dogs do not often, like young ladies, 

 fall desperately in love with a man at first 

 sight. 



After the colt knows you sufficiently to allow 

 his head, ears, body, and legs to be handled with- 

 out flinching or exhibiting the least signs of fear, 

 you may then rub him over from head to heels 



