226 COUNTRY COLT-BREAKERS 



is then taken into a field, and lunged round and round 

 until ready to drop from giddiness and exhaustion. This 

 is breaking a colt with a vengeance, but is, notwithstand- 

 ing, a not unusual modus operandi adopted in rural 

 districts by the unscientific horse-tamer. 



Allowance must be made for country colt-breakers 

 pursuing this summary method. They derive their means 

 of subsistence from this occupation, and their charge for 

 breaking a colt is, all things considered, very moderate, 

 their object, of course, being to take as many pupils as 

 they can possibly manage in a season, which are generally 

 returned as broken within a month or six weeks. In 

 fact, as soon as the colt will carry well and pass objects 

 on the road without alarm, his education is considered 

 complete, and another taken in hand. That the means 

 resorted to for thus quickly subduing a colt are dangerous, 

 and often attended 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 novo 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 practice, 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 

 understand 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 



