THE WEANLING COLT. 31 



going faster than a walk, if possible. When this 

 has been done, the colt is ready for anything, and 

 he will soon show whether, -he is of any account . 

 or not. Aboye everything, in breaking the colt, 

 don't use any check for about a month." 



With the exception of leading beside a pony 

 nothing has been said in this chapter about "mak- 

 ing speed," as that will be treated in the next 

 installment. 



Shoeing. 



We have purposely reserved for the closing par- 

 agraphs of this chapter the subject of shoeing, as 

 authorities differ as to just when the colt should 

 be shod. Some have gone so far as to suggest 

 light front shoes on colts in pasture late in the 

 summer, but this is a theory and seldom, if ever, 

 practiced. Others shoe shortly after weaning, or 

 just before leading beside a pony,, especially whien 

 the soil is sandy. Others do not shoe until the 

 spring of a colt's yearling form. This subject will 

 be treated in a separate chapter by Dr. Jack Seiter. 



The natural gaited colts will need only light shoes 

 for protection. Double gaited colts require heavier 

 shoes at first, but the weight should be gradually 

 reduced, if possible. 



In applying weight some horsemen object 'to» 

 the use of toe weights, unless sure a colt needs 

 them, and prefer heavy shoes. Toe weights have 

 their uses, they claim, but sometimes get a colt to 

 hitting his elbows. On the other hand, Roy Miller 



