The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-11-27
TRAINING OF COLTS
Its Importance and How it Should b,
Done.


Its Importance and How it should be
Done.
Farmers ordinarily run to one or two
extremes IN the management of colts.
They either hitch them up too early.
toe 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 very bad import. It
Is wrong to cause colt TO do every
thing horse does, at time when it is
imperfectly developed and has but
feeble powers of endurance. It is
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 q few
farmers treat the colts raised on their
farms In about the same manner the
people of Texas do the wild horses of
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 a
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 postoffice, and on
Sundays it goes to church. The colt is
taught to travel at all kinds of speed,
from that required to go for the
the doctor TO that demanded in follow
ing hearse. It is made to keep pace
with the mare when she is drawing a
load Of stone up q hill and when tine
boys are driving her to a party. The
colt is 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
it's 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.
Its 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 will 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-
parily long enough. to make the colt
tolerably well cOnteEted with its lot.
If food of good quality be furnished,
1t will learn to eat very well in this
length of time, at the expiration of
which they may be brought together.
The colt should early be taught the
halter and made to know that his mas
ter is his friend. It should be taught
to walk at a rapid pace, for, if intended
for farm work, this is the 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
!
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
pl to exercise the colt in trotting
round 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 bridIe-bit for some time before
harness is put on him. A harness
should be put on and worn about before
| the colt is fastened to carriage. At
| first 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
starting a. running away. By de-
| grees a load should be given him to
/ draw, care being exercised that the
/ harness does not hurt. After little
practice one may with safety ride and
/ drive IN the carriage. Harvesting the
colt alongside of a steady horse is a
/ good practice after the aforementioned
| lesson, in all of which there should be
! great care that the animal is not ia
/ tiRued.
| Colts should be early accustomed to
! 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 vio-
/ lent word used. Caressing will do more
/ toward making a colt obediept than all
the whips ever made. Always caress q
! colt after performing well what was re-
| quired of him. a colt should early be
taught to back, by standing in front of
him, drawing the reins, and speaking
| the EwOrd 'oback." Horses will learn
/ the meaning of many words, if pains be
taken to explain them by signs. The
| earlier this sort of teaching is common
ced the MOI 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 impatience is shown
by the brushing of any part, leave it
| for time and then come back to it.
Before brushing the head gently rub it
with the hand. Avoid using, at first.
! hard brush or q curry-comb. Colts
should receive the best of care during
the first part of the winter, if it is ex-
pected to make frst-class horses of them.
A little grain will keep them fat, and
cause them to come out of the winter in
! good condition.