530 Breeding and Management of Horses on a Farm. 
and he should then be accustomed to the dumb-jockey, and bn 
otherwise thoroug:hly taught his paces in the usual way, upon which 
it is unnecessary here to dilate. There is, however, one practice 
common to all horse-breakers to which I shall advert as beinsr 
both cruel and unnecessary. It is that of tightly reining up the 
head of a young colt to the dumb-jockey, and in this state turning 
him into a loose box for many hours during the day. This is by 
these gentry facetiously termed "giving the horse a good mouth," 
but in my opinion, it has a directly opposite tendency ; a good mouth 
and a good bearing being best acquired by the able handling of a 
judicious horseman. During the process of breaknig-in a young 
horse intended for the field, he should be constantly led over small 
jumps and blind ditches, not too wide, in order that he may be 
gradually habituated to every species of fence, and rendered con- 
fident in his own powers — a practice that will subsequently save 
him and his rider from many a fall. At four years of age, or 
probably sooner, if he be of good shape and promising appearance, 
and his action be clean and good, the farmer will find that there 
is no lack of purchasers who will be glad to buy him at such a 
price as will certainly leave a good profit, after deducting all ex- 
penses of breeding and rearing, and possibly a smart sum by way 
of remunerating the judgment displayed in breeding him. 
The above remarks apply princi])ally to the hunter. The cart- 
hoi'se will not require to be lounged or handled with such precau- 
tions ; but at the age of two years and a half, being generally of a 
docile and quiet nature, he may be made to do a little work on the 
farm, more for the purpose, however, of accustoming him to his 
subsequent duties than for that of exacting from him any great 
degree of labour, for which he will clearly be unfitted. Almost 
the first lessons received by the cart-horse, after he has been used 
to bear his harness, and to allow it to be put on and taken off 
quietly, may be given in the team, where he should be placed be- 
tween two steady horses, and never urged to draw an ounce except 
of his own accord. Should he be restive or given to kick, he may 
be harnessed by himself to a light log of wood, with long traces 
attached, that he may have plenty of room for the exercise of his 
heels without the chance of doing himself injury, and led gently 
about, care being taken not to force him to do much work, and to 
coax rather than compel him to it. 
A medium plan must be adopted with the carriage-horse. He 
is not only required to have somewhat showy action, but likewise 
to be steady in draught. He must, therefore, be lounged like 
the hunter, and taught to raise his knee and deliver his leg with 
freedom; motions which can never be acquired witliout the good 
exercise of the hands and legs of a perfect horseman. Previous 
to being made to draw, it is a good practice to drive such horses 
