RREAKING THE YEARLING. 63 
CHAPTER 1X. ‘ 
BREAKING. 
Gentleness essential—The tackle described—Other methods, and objections to them 
—The bit and bridle—The colt ridden loose—Age at which horses should be 
broke: opinions of Buffon and Cuvier—Best season for breaking—Should 
be broke as a yearling—Different practices and objections to them—Reasons 
for breaking early—Examples from foreign horses—Instances in proof of my 
system ; Antagonist and the JVottingham Colt—Confirmed by the French 
practice—Big and little yearlings compared—Lord George Bentinck’s usage 
of them—Sir Tatton Sykes’s treatment of yearlings described and commended. 
HAVING some idea of the ground to be selected, we may now 
proceed to describe the breaking of the yearling. i 
4 
‘Those that do teach young babes, 
Do it with gentle means and easy tasks.” i 
The couplet is one worthy to be borne in mind by all who 
‘would undertake to train horses. The yearling, when he 
comes from the breeder's hands to those of the trainer, is (ag 
Mr. Clark observes) often fat. In such cases he requires 
time, and should only have gentle exercise at first—walking 
and trotting for several hours daily—and then a dose of 
physic. After this he may be lounged, and in a few days 
the breaking tackle may be put on him. 
The tackle consists of pad, with side reins fastened to it, 
bridle, crupper, and kicking straps. When he is familiar with 
these and lounges quietly both ways (to right and left) a 
saddle may be added; over which the pad is placed—the 
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