214 HANDLING AND BREAKING. 



the better. This is useful enough in certain 

 cases, as for older animals which from being 

 stopped in their work are over-fresh, or from 

 any cause unfit to ride ; as well as to teach 

 a young one to bend and flex his joints, 

 but in breaking the colt it should not be 

 resorted to merely to save the breaker trouble. 

 On the whole it is rather to be deprecated 

 than encouraged for youngsters, since while 

 bones and ligaments are still soft and tender 

 there is risk of strains and other injuries 

 resulting from the practice. In lunging 

 nearly every colt manifests a preference for 

 going one way or the other ; but he must 

 be driven equally both ways, lest he should 

 acquire uneven paces by habitually going 

 shorter on the inside legs than on the outer ; 

 also to prevent his mouth becoming duller 

 on one side. As a rule the colt should not 

 be mounted before he is two years old (unless 

 you have by chance a very light-weight 

 quiet lad who may be trusted with him), 



