Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-03-29
HOW BROKE STEERS,

WHEN WAS BOY.
When boy, II was ono of my greatest
pleasures to yoke up and break in pair OF
young steers. | recollect my first yoke, and
how trained them, just as distinctly az if |
had performed the task but yesterday, and
yet it is now 36 years since that happy time
My first pair ofsteers were, like myself, quite
young that is, they we're three weeks old,
and just ten years, when first put the yoke
upon them. Boy as / was, had to make
my own yoke and bows Ny yoke was made
from piece Of by 4 scantlng, and my bows
were Of hickory saplings. A neighbOr, who
was mechanic, and then practised making
more or less OK yokes and bows, showed me
how to mark and cut out my yoke, and how
to bend and fit my bows. but both himself
and my father would give me no farther help,
saying that il they let me do the work my
self ! would know how to do the next but
that if they did the work and let me look on,
my boy mind would get no correct idea Of the
how; aud that, in making my second yoke,
| would require just as much showing as in
the first. ! think they we're correct for l
have made many yoke and bows since and
that, too. without any farther teaching. But
to my steers. 1 recoilect my first morning.
when trying to catch the calves and get my
yoke on, how they were stronger than my
self, and how angry got how my father
looked quietly on and said nothing until it
was near my school hour, for then went to
school daily and | had not even got the
yoke on one Of my miniature oxen but then
he checked me in my anger and sent me to
school, with the promise, the next day to
show me how to get along gently.
Well, the next day came in due course,
and with my fathers assistance got my ami
mails together in one corner Of their pen, and
by patting them soon had them 80 quiet that
| could lay the yoke, without its bows, on
their necks next got my bows, and by
steady patting and constant cautions from my
father to keep my temper, soon managed to
get them around their necks and fastened in
to the yoke. Next tied their tails together,
and left them for school, At noon ! united
their tails, and gently released them from the
yoke, by taking out both bow pins at the
same time, being careful however, not to let
the bows drop, for that would frighten them.
The next day yoked them again, and with
out help, tied and left them as before The
third day after yoking let them out of their
pen into q large yard. Here they ran like
good fellow for while, but as their tails
were tied together they could not get out Of
NhOli lONts aub SUM buel Nttt tucu anu
down. left them in the yard, and in the
yoke all day at night, before unyoking, l
made them move around a little, but their
fear was gone, and they did not run as in the
morning.
The day following got on my yoke, and
at first there was a little disposition to run.
let them run, and soon as | could get near
them. patted a little, pulled them around.
and with my whip, which was a stick about 4
feet long, with lash at the end about one
foot, | soon taught them to stop by touching
them over the head, and saying whoa. From
! stopping at the word whoa they soon got so
that | could do with them as pleased abou,
the yard, and in two weeks daily drove my
steers attached TO a little cart, all around tn,
village. These steers were turned away &.
pasture, when weaned from the cows, and haC
no yoke upon them until the month of Sep
tember, when they were yoked and put upor
the lead of the team for going upon the salt
meadows, gathering hay. They were then a:
tractable as old oxen, and ever after were
! gentle, quick and true at their work. As
! grew to more mature years | afterwards train
ed many pair of calves, as we'll as many a
yoke of two and three years olds for my faith
er, who, like many another in New England,
was in the yearly practice Of buying young
cattle from western drovers. By using gem
tie means, and gradually accustoming the an
imals to the yoke, could soon get steers
never before yoked to go true and steady
Ohio Farmer.