The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-12-03
TRAINING OF COLTS.
Its Importance and How It Should I

TRAINING OF CULTS.
Its Importance and How 1t should be
Done
Farmers ordinarily run TO one or two
! extremes in the management Of colts.
They either hitch them up too early,
too often, and too long, or they let them
run wild altogether till they are of an
/ age TO " break, which word in this
connection has a very bad import. 1t
/ is wrong TO cause a colt to do every
! thing horse does, at time when it is
! imperfectly developed and has but
/ feeble powers of endurance. 1t is
i equally wrong to treat an animal in
/ tended for the service OF man like a
/ Wild animal till it is matured and then
+ suddenly subdue It. Still not few
/ farmers treat the colts raised on their
/ farms in about the same manner the
people Of Texas do the wild horses of
1 their prairies. They pay no attention
to them till they are at an age to work,
when they commence to break them
at once.
Some farmers have an idea that q
sucking colt should go with its dam all
/ the time, and that the dam should do
/ the work of a mare that has no colt
! The colt is accordingly hitched by a
/ halter to the side of the mare, and Is
made TO go wherever she goes. Almost
every week day the colt goes to the
store, the mill, or the postofice, and on
| Sundays it goes to church. The colt Is
i taught to travel ct all kinds of speed,
| from that required to go for the
| the doctor to that demanded in follow
| ing a hearse. It is made to keep pace
with the mare when she is drawing q
| load of stone up a hill and when the
boys are driving her to a party. The
colt is a constant attendant of the mare,
and therefore goes over all the ground
she does.
No young animal, from a child to an
| elephant, should be compelled to be on
its feet so much of its time as to keep
pace with matured animals. The colt
/ should always have an opportunity to
stop and lie down when it wishes to,
which is very often. To cause it to re-
| main on its feet continually, and at the
! same time TO keep up an active speed,
/ is an act of cruelty that should never
be practiced. Besides this the colt is
| liable to great injury by the treatment.
| It's feet are too tender, its limbs too
weak, to bear the continued strain on
them. The pulling at the halter when
! the colt is fastened to the side of the
| dam is also very injurious. It tends to
! injure the muscles of the neck, legs,
! and back, and in many cases produces
| deformities that are never outgrown.
Another grave disadvantage of keep
| ing the colt constantly by the side of
! the dam, is that it causes it to be very
hard to wean. If the colt is kept from
| her for some hours, it viii acquire very
early the habit of eating, so that wean-
ing will come easy. Weaving should
ordinarily take place when the colt is
FIVE or six months old. The best way
to accomplish it is to keep the animals
at so great a distance apart that they
shall neither see or hear each other.
A weeks complete separation is Ordi-
nariIy long enough to make the colt
tolerably well conteGted with its lot.
If food of good quality be furnished,
it will learn to eat very well in this
length of time, at the expiration of
which they may be brought together.
The colt should arly be taught the
halter and made to know that his mas
ter is his friend. It should be taught
to walk at rapid pace, for, if intended
for farm work, this is ssthe gait which is
most desirable. If as much pains were
taken to teach colts to walk fast, as
is taken to make horses trot fast, we
should soon have a very great improve
ment in the work horses for the farm.
After a time the colt should be taught
two other gaits, rapid trotting and the
ordinary trotting gait desired in going
tOlerably long distances. 1t is a good
plcn to exercise the colt in trotting
round a circle, holding by line. The
line should be of good length, other
wise the colt will learn to take short
steps.
A colt should become accustomed to
the bridle-bit for some time before q
harness is put on him. A harness
should be put on and worn about before
the colt is fastened to a carriage Al
first q light carriage should be used, or,
what is better, only the forward wheels
and thills. At first the colt should be led
so as to prevent any danger at sudden
starring AID running away. By de-
Rrees a load should be given him to
draw, care being exercised that the
harness does not hurt. After a little
practice one may with safety ride and
drive in the carriage. Harvesting the
colt alongside of a steady horse is 6
good practice after the above-mentioned
lesson, in all of which there should be
great care that the animal Is not ia
ti0ued.
Colts should be early accustomed tc
the noise OF carriages, gates, and Other
moving things that they come in contact
with. In the training of colts a blow
should never be struck, or loud or VIC
lent word used. Caressing will do more
toward making colt obediept than al
the whips ever made. Always caress
colt after performing we'll what was re
quired of him. A colt should early bt
taught to back, by standing in front o.
him, drawing the reins, and speaking
the Eword 'Hsback." Horses will learI
the meaning of many words, if pains b.
taken to explain them by signs. The
earlier this sort of teaching is common
ced the more readily will it be learned
The colt should early be accustomed
to the use of the brush At first it should
not be used about the head, as it might
produce fright. If impotence is shown
by the brushing of any part, leave il
for a time and then come back to it.
Before brushing the head gently rub il
with the hand. Avoid using, at first. 6
hard brush or a curry-comb. Colts
should receive the best of care during
the first part of the winter, if it is ex
pected TO make irst-class horses of them
a little grain will keep them fat, ano
cause them to come out of the winter IL
good condition.
TOhaceO CrOO Of 1874