EDUCATING AND TRAINING THE COLT 
123 
guided to the right and left, but should be stopped often to assure him 
that he is doing well. 
• . For best results, these terms, ‘whoa,’ ‘get up,’ and ‘back’, 
should be taught one each day, beginning the next day after the foal has 
been driven with the lines. After driving for a short time, or until the 
excitement has worn off, give the command ‘whoa,’ following immediately 
with a sudden and positive pull on the lines ... Do not speak loud, 
but rely more on the pressure applied with the lines. The foal should be 
rewarded. After waiting a short time, start by applying pressure on the 
rump, and after going until all is right, repeat the command and the pull 
as before. As soon as he shows indication of stopping at the command, 
do not pull on the lines. When he stops at the command alone, reward him. 
“The next day, after driving for a short time and stopping at the com¬ 
mand ‘whoa,’ the foal should be taught the meaning of the term ‘get up,’ 
To do this, start the animal by the comamnd ‘get up,’ followed immedi¬ 
ately by a rather sharp tap upon the rump. Tap the animal according 
to what he will stand and not so as to frighten him. As soon as he is 
going normally, stop by the command ‘whoa’ and caress him. Repeat 
the process until he will start at the command alone. 
“The following day teach the foal the meaning of the term ‘back.’ This 
should first be done in the way suggested; that is, by holding the halter in 
one hand and applying the pressure between the shoulder points with the 
other, at the same time giving the command ‘back.’ Repeat until the 
youngster will move back at the command alone. Now you are ready to 
snap on the lines and teach him to back from behind. At first it may be 
necessary to pull on the lines following the command. Repeat and reward 
him until he will back at the command. By the third day the foal should 
respond to all three commands. 
“The time required to carry out the above suggestion is but fifteen 
minutes for six consecutive days, or ninety minutes in all, during which 
time the youngster has been taught to lead, to drive, to stop at the com¬ 
mand ‘whoa,’ to start at the command ‘get up,’ and to back on command. 
While he is not yet three weeks of age yet he will obey commands better 
than the average horse will ever obey them. The value of training begun 
thus early cannot be overestimated. It fixes the idea of subordination in 
the horse’s mind at a time in life when no subsequent treatment can 
shake it, and even though the time consumed in such training is quite in¬ 
significant, it adds as nothing else can to the future usefulness of the ani¬ 
mal.” 
Youatt 37 , in his method of breaking-in the colt, writes: “The process of 
breaking-in should commence from the very period of weaning. The foal 
should be daily handled, accustomed to the halter, led about, and even 
tied up. The tractability, good temper, and value of the horse depends a 
great deal more upon this than breeders are aware; this should be done 
as much as possible by the man by whom they are fed, and whose man¬ 
agement of them should be always kind and gentle. There is no fault for 
which a breeder should so invariably discharge his servant as cruelty, or 
even harshness, towards the raising of stock; for the principle on which 
their after usefulness is founded is attachment to and confidence in man, 
and obedience, implicit obedience, resulting principally from these. With 
the horse used for agricultural purposes, after the second winter, the work 
of breaking-in may commence in good earnest. He may first be bitted, 
and a bit -carefully selected that will not hurt his mouth, and much smaller 
than those in common use; with this he may be suffered to amuse him¬ 
self, and to play, and to champ for an hour, on a few successive days. 
Having become a little tractable, portions of the harness may be put upon 
him, and, last of all, the blind winkers; and a few days after he may go into 
the team. It would be better if there could be one before and one behind 
him, besides the shaft horse. Let there be first the mere empty wagon. 
