BREAKING AND TRAINING OP COLTS. 231 



he may meet on the road and to give him confidence in him- 

 self. 



In hitching up a colt double I always put him on the off or 

 right-hand side at first, as then in meeting high loads and 

 other scarey things on the road he is further from them, and 

 what gives him more confidence and less fear, there is another 

 horse between him and them. Another strong argument for 

 thus placing him on this side is that in getting in or out on the 

 near side you are less liable to frighten him, especially so if, 

 by chance, you should happen to slip or stumble. 



Many a fine, highly-bred colt, for want of confidence in 

 himself becomes frightened on the road from meeting strange 

 and, to him, frightful things, and will try to run away from 

 them ; but if balked in this, his next means of defense or pro- 

 tection is to kick, which is one of the worst habits that a colt 

 can possibly get into. Many a kicking horse first commenced 

 the habit from fright, and not from viciousness, as many sup- 

 pose. If a colt is taught what is required of him, as soon as 

 he is made to understand, he usually becomes a willing sub- 

 ject ; but to attempt to force him to do that Avhich he does not 

 comprehend is to excite him to resistance ; hence the many 

 balky, kicking, and unruly horses. 



Yet it gives me great pleasure to know that by judicious 

 breeding and handling, as has been practiced for the last two 

 or three decades, we have far less of this class of horses' than 

 we had thirty years ago. 



In breaking and training colts strength is not as essential 

 as patience, perseverance, and kindness. Kindness and gentle 

 handling are the means by which a colt's confidence is gained, 

 and this should be practiced from the beginning. "While you 

 should always treat the colt kindly, you should never play or 

 fool with him, as many horses have been taught to be vicious 

 in later life from having been fooled with as foals ; conse- 

 quently, any attempt on the part of the animal towards undue 

 familiarity should be checked at once, or the time may come 



