EDUCATING AND TRAINING THE COLT 
117 
to one side, the colt will continue to go in a circle and cannot run. After 
a few minutes the strap is changed to the other side, and in a very few 
lessons the -colt is perfectly bridle-wise. An important advantage of this 
method is that you can go up to the colt at any time, for it is impossible 
for the colt to get away from you and the colt will learn the purpose of 
the bit without inflicting any damage whatever.” 
Biddell, Douglas, Dykes, Fleming, Macneilage, Murray, and Trotter 82 
advise that at the age of a week or ten days a slender leather head-stall 
should be placed on the head of the foal, together iwith a short piece of 
leather strap connected with it. Soon after training the colt to lead by 
a plain halter, a leather head-stall is fitted on the head to which a bit 
is attached. “Then the colt is turned loose in the yard for several hours; 
this should be repeated for several days before any further steps are 
taken. At this period we prefer a round piece of hard wood of consider¬ 
able circumference to the iron bit. When the colt has become sufficiently 
accustomed to the bit it is well to back him into a stall and have him 
secured on each side by a strong pillar rein. By repeating the lesson 
several times he becomes accustomed to and learns to be controlled by 
the bit. Having been thoroughly mouthed he is next driven in reins and 
thoroughly accustomed to answer the bit and should be further trained 
to answer to his name.” 
The handling of the foal, according to Dimon 40 should commence from 
birth. Dimon emphasizes the necessity of educating and training the 
colt and not to “break” him. According to him, “The first lesson to teach 
a young colt is that you do not wish to hurt him. The next that you are 
a stronger party and can master him. He will soon learn these two les¬ 
sons and then you can go up to him anywhere, and when once you have 
your hand on him you can easily hold him and he will not struggle to 
get away from you. 
“The next two lessons are to halter and lead him and teach him to 
stand tied by the halter. You may then, by kindness, teach him to follow 
you around and come at your call, by always awarding him for so doing 
with a sweet apple, a handful of oats, or anything else as such young¬ 
sters are known to like. Then teach him at an early age to be handled 
all over, including the taking up of his feet, and to be curried and brushed. 
When he finds that you do not hurt him he will like these lessons and 
will always remember them. 
“Next, accustom him to stand with a bag or blanket thrown over him. 
When you have taught him all of these, he is ready, as soon as old enough, 
to be bridled and bitted. In bitting, put a bitting rig or single harness 
on him with an open bridle; check him up rather loosely at first and 
turn into a small paddock or yard. Do not compel your colt to wear the 
bitting gear too long at one time, as by so doing it has a tendency to 
sour his disposition. Keep him in the gear long enough each time to 
give him to understand that he cannot get clear of it and that he must 
give up to it; and do not take it off while he is struggling to free himself 
from it, but let him fight it out and get quiet first. Always take it off 
when quiet, otherwise he may think the removal has been caused by his 
exertions to get rid of it. 
“When he has become somewhat accustomed to the bit and has given, 
up fighting it, start him up a little; always use the same expression, as 
‘go on,’ ‘get up,’ or whatever term you choose to use for starting him. 
Practice in this way for a little while until he learns to start and stop at 
the proper command. Then take a buggy whip, crack it or touch him 
lightly on the rump, when starting him up. Teach him the word ‘whoa’ 
and ‘back’; when he thoroughly understands all of this and the use of 
the whip, put the lines on him, running them back through the shaft 
tugs instead of the terret rings, to prevent his turning around, and thus 
teach him all about driving, starting, stopping, and turning. 
