HANDLING AND BREAKING. 217 



each animal, since no one would pay him 

 to do so. He has therefore to crowd into 

 a few days, or weeks at the utmost, during 

 which the animal, particularly when high- 

 spirited or nervous (as so many of the nicest 

 are), is frequently overtaxed, the woi'k which 

 the owner (or his groom, if competent, which 

 few grooms are) extends over the Avhole 

 period of the animal's infancy. The result 

 is often satisfactory enoiigh if the animal is 

 to he sold as " quiet to ride and drive," or is 

 put at once into regular work at home ; but 

 it is obvious that the mutual confidence, or 

 friendship as I may call it, which I consider 

 so valuable, has yet to be inspired and es- 

 tablished. This is Avhy I like home-breaking 

 best, if it be undertaken by a competent 

 person. Not that the most capable of 

 amateurs can do it one whit better than a 

 good professional colt-breaker (these are by 

 the way now few and far between), but that 

 he can do it more gradually ; and, as all 



