120 



COLT THAWING. 



a colt is made to come back too easily, should he become frightened 

 at anything in advance of him, and especially if pulled back suddenly, 

 he is liable to go back too far, and thus learn the habit of running 

 back, turning around, upsetting the wagon, and getting away, one of 

 the worst habits a horse can acquire. 



This point,of coming back accomplished, now stand a little side- 

 ways and bring the pole across against the quarters, then between 

 the ( legs and under the body until it is submitted to unconditionally. 

 Next bring back against the pole or rail anything about as high as 

 the cross-piece of shafts when in harness, as shown in Fig. 147. 



This submitted to unconditionally, with sufficient control of thi» 



Fig. 148. — Bringing Pole against Quarters when First Driven in Harness. 



mouth to hold a colt under any degree of excitement, the next step 

 is to drive in shafts. If he becomes excited or stubborn at any 

 point, particularly if he resists the bit hard, the better way will be to 

 put him away until cool, when by repeating the lesson he will soon 

 work in. At this point there is great danger of spoiling the mouth, 

 because when the blood becomes much heated the sensibility of the 

 mouth becomes so blunted that he will bear to have it cut to pieces 

 without seeming to feel it ; but when over the excitement it will be 

 so sensitive and sore that he will be liable ifot only, to yield too 

 freely, but, as before stated, acquire the habit of running back ; hence 

 the necessity of being careful in this respect. The course I found 

 easiest and best was to get two poles, something like hop poles, 

 about twelve feet long, lay them down in the form of shafts ; about 

 six feet from the forward ends lay on a piece of pole and make fast 

 with pieces of rqpe or strap, so as to make the poles at this point 



