94 THE HORSE 



nature, timid animals and, second, that in a natural 

 state they are gregarious in their habits. When, 

 therefore, we put a lot of straps and buckles on a 

 colt, of the use of which he has no comprehension, 

 and essay to drive him, alone and separate from 

 his kind, among trolley-cars, automobiles, and 

 other objects that would naturally terrify him, 

 it will be seen that we are straining his nature a 

 long way from its starting-point and that we 

 should make due allowance for the fact. 



The best time to break the colt to harness is 

 when he is from one to two years old. Of course, 

 if broken at this tender age, he is not — especially 

 if a road-horse — fit to be put to much work when 

 his education is completed, and care must also be 

 taken not to injure him in the process; but he 

 seems to learn more easily and is easier handled 

 than when he is older and, once well broken, he can 

 be again turned out to pasture with no danger of 

 forgetting what he has learned. 



EARLY BREAKING IS EASY BREAKING 



To those who have had much experience in this 

 line, the advantages of breaking young are so 

 manifest as to require no argument. There are 

 some, however, who admit it freely, but do not 

 practise it through fear of hurting the colt. 



