PRACTICAL MUKSE, TRAINING 377 



ally if the surcingle is not used. Keep the lines low in 

 turning to make the guiding process easy. At first, walk 

 close up to the foal so as to encourage him to go forward 

 by occasionally touching the rump with the hand. Do 

 not hurry the foal. The first day teach him to guide to 

 the right and left, the second day of driving teach the 

 command "whoa," the third day "get up," and the fourth 

 day teach the command "back" (p. 379). 



Training the work horse. — In training horses, young or 

 old, there are a few general considerations that should be 

 kept constantly in mind. A horse should never be trusted 

 more than is necessary. Children, women or incom- 

 petent persons should never be left in charge of a horse 

 unless the animal is thoroughly acquainted with them. 

 In handling a horse, the safest way is to remain close to 

 the animal's left shoulder, grasping the bridle close to 

 the mouth with the right hand. In tieing to a post or 

 hitching rack, the horse should be secured by a strong 

 rope or strap placed about the neck, then passed through 

 the ring of the bit and on to the post. In bridling, har- 

 nessing and saddling a horse the work should be done 

 from the left side. In hitching, the lines should be at- 

 tached into the bit and then placed where they can be 

 reached easily before hitching the horse to the vehicle. 

 In unhitching, the lines should be the last disengaged, 

 and care should be taken that the animal is free from the 

 vehicle before he is led away. 



Age to train the horse for work. — ^There are many fac- 

 tors influencing the most profitable age at which to train 

 horses for work, chief of which are the breed, the in- 

 dividuality and the work to be performed. As a rule, the 

 draft breeds mature younger than the lighter breeds, and, 

 therefore, may be put to moderate work younger. Some 

 individuals develop more rapidly than others, and as they 

 mature earlier, they may be put to work younger. The 

 work performed likewise has a bearing upon the age of 

 training. Draft liorses and saddle horses, because of the 



