Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1871-10-21
Stock 8aisins.


after having cultivated the disposition in the
parents, in order that they may transmit to
the colt tendency to trot, and, if possible, "a
natural trotting gait, the culture so long ago
commenced should still be continued when
the colt appears. Its tendency to trot is to
be encouraged, not only to give direction to
the form and muscles, for the sake of its own
trotting speed, but to mould the character,
to intensity the disposition, that it may be
again transmitted to the next generation with
redoubled force.
AT the outset the confidence of the colt
must be gained. Fear contracts the muscles,
and under its influence the requisite action
cannot be developed. Hence, when the colt
is born, it should be cared for with the ut
most gentleness. After it has learned to eat
loaf sugar from the hand, it may be battered.
If it runs back OF rears, give it plenty of line.
Stand at its side talk to it, give it sugar, and
urge it along with IA very slight touch with
the end of the halter OF gentle pat of the
hand. If the colt gets angry, keep your own
temper and pet it. After it is broken, power
may be asserted in the stable with the whip,
if necessary; but in breaking colt or hand
ling balky horse, n lump of sugar or
handful of oats will quiet anger and restore
serenity almost Immediately. Two go to
producing the disposition called balky-a
horse and man. If married man, you
should reflect on the manner in which you
are governed by your wife. She mentions,
perhaps that Mrs Jones has n very becom-
ing bonnet You reply that Jones can afford
it, but you can't-very balky. She counts
ten, smiles sweetly; takes great pains to
have dinner to suit you; brings you glass
of wine because you look so tired. You ask
how much new bonnet will cost, and the
victory is won. When the colt is broken to
halter, it is to be led by the side of its moth
er by n careful man who rides the mare.
When it breaks into galop it should not be
suddenly checked, but by moderatng the
pace of the mare and twitchng the halter it
may by degrees be brought to II trot Catch
ing readily after break is to be taught mt
this age, and the lesson once learned will
never be forgotten. The colt should have
all the oats it could eat, and should never be
fatigued. 1t should never be tied in stall,
but after weaving, should run in yard with
an open box. Recollect that distempers are
usually the result of mismanagemenu, or sud-
den changes of food, or confinement, and
that curbs and sprains are almost always
consequent on confinement and violent, IT,
regular exercise. The colt that has been
two or three days in the stable plunges vio-
lently when let loose. His nervous force has
been augmented by rest, while his ligaments
and muscles have become weak and give
way. unable to resist the sudden strain
When yearling, the colt is to be harnessed
by the side ola steady horse to skeleton
wagon. The horse must pull the weight, as
the colt is too young to be allowed to feel
any part of it. Care must be taken not to
over-drive. A mile drive is sufficient Dur
ing the summer hay and oats are still to be
fed to the colt and he should never on any
account be turned out to grass Grass may
be given as an Alternative, however If care
has been taken with him he will retain the
symmetry he possessed when a sucking. In
this way the colts are to be brought on until
the fall after they are two years old, when