122 
PURE BRED DRAFT HORSES 
straps are left hanging about the head to annoy the foal. These should 
be fastened up in some way. It is often rather difficult to adjust the 
halter to a nervous foal’s head, but to be successful one must have patience. 
Do not be in a hurry, but let the youngster get acquainted with every¬ 
thing as you proceed. With the halter properly adjusted, coax the young¬ 
ster along behind his mother or some accustomed route, as to the water 
trough and back. If one has sweets available, such as sugar, and permits 
the youngster to taste of them occasionally, he will soon follow promptly. 
If he resents, however, other means must be tried. Do not stand in front 
and try to pull his head off, for he will only roll his eyes, shake his head 
and move back; and, above all, do not give up. We must now take advan¬ 
tage of the animal’s natural instinct and apply pressure at the rear end 
as we wish him to move forward. 
“. . . Secure a small rope or sash-cord, about ten feet long, tie a loop 
or fasten a ring in one end, gently place the rope over the foal’s back just 
in front of the hips, with the loop or ring on the under side of the body, 
bo that when the free end of the rope is run through the loop the rope can 
be closely drawn around the loins and flanks; pass the rope along under 
the body between the fore-legs, and then up through the ring on the hal¬ 
ter or under the jaw strap . . . 
“Take the halter strap in one hand, the loin-hitch rope in the other, 
and stand in front and a little to one side of the foal. Pull gently on the 
halter-strap, and as he begins to shake his head give the loin-rope a sharp 
pull and he will immediately move forward. In fact, he is likely to move 
forward so rapidly that he will run into you if you stand squarely in 
front of him. Do not be in a hurry, but give the animal time to get used 
to the lesson.. If he is excited, give him sweets or caress him until he 
quiets before attempting to give the loin-rope a second pull. When his 
confidence has been restored, try again, using the loin-rope again if need 
be. Soon he will follow wherever you lead. All of this requires only five 
to fifteen minutes, whereas by the old method—pulling on the halter 
alone—we have little or no assurance when the foal will follow. 
“As soon as the foal fully understands the use of the halter and will 
follow wherever we lead, he should be taught to back. Do not attempt to 
teach him to back the same day he is taught to lead, but put it over until 
the next day . . . All that is required is pressure in front. Take the 
halter strap in one hand so as to guide the foal in a straight line or in 
any desired direction, extend the fingers of the other hand between the 
points of the shoulder and press gently against the animal, and he will 
step back . . . Reward him for his action, and repeat until he will 
move backward by applying the pressure at the halter alone. Never force 
the animal by jerking on the halter strap; simply apply pressure in the 
sensitive chest cavity with the ends of the fingers. In fifteen minutes’ 
time, in addition to leading wherever desired, the foal should be willing 
to back any distance or in any direction. 
“By the third day after haltering, if all has gone well and the colt will 
lead and back, he should be driven in lines. To do this most successfully, 
a surcingle, properly adjusted, is required. The surcingle must be pro¬ 
vided with a loop on each side, placed well below the center of the body, 
the lines passed through the loops and fastened to the ring on either side 
of the halter. Never use a bit in the mouth of a very young animal. Now 
the lines will pass the hind quarters low and thus prevent the foal from 
turning with his head towards us, which he will do occasionally if the 
surcingle is not used. It is very important to keep the reins low in turn¬ 
ing to make the guiding process easy. At first walk close to the animal 
so as to encourage him to go forward by occasionally touching the rump 
with one hand, while the guiding is done with the other. As soon as he 
becomes accustomed to being driven, he may be touched up with the lines, 
