The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-06-18
Breaking the Colt.

Many fine horse Is ruined before IL
becomes a horse at all, and the owner
can charge his loss upon the misman-
agement of the colt at time of breaking.
We have seen colts, after remarkable
patience with the stupidity. or vicious
ness of those breaking them, at last re-
sort to kicking or baking, through fear
or in self-defense, and in many cases the
defect is lasting.
A very great mistake is to permit the
colt to run wild from the time it is
foaled until it reaches the proper age
for breaking. 1t is not uncommon to
find colts that are as wild as hawks, be-
cause they have never been even fon-
died, much less familiarized with the
touch of any part of harness. Very
naturally such colt is handled with
difficulty and danger when the attempt
to break it is made. Such result is
utterly inexcusable, for it is rather a
pleasure than otherwise to familiarize
the colt with being handled, and the &C
comprising of that object should be be-
gun at once, and the breaking of the
colt, in the proper sense, should be
commenced as soon as it is weaned.
That is to say, it should be accustomed
to the halter, to being led about, and
even tied up for short periods. The sur
cingle can be applied; anything that can
be done without injury to the colt to ac-
custom it to the touch of harness should
be done, gradually of course, for not
only would nothing be gained by. doing
everything at once. but the irritation
chat would be caused might be injurious
to the young animal. After the FIRST year
the breaking should be more in earnest.
The colt can then be bitted, care being
taken to select much smaller
bit than is generally used and
one that will not hurt the animals
mouth. A wooden bit is a good
thing to commence with. When he has
become accustomed to the bit, which he
will in a few days, it is advisable to
fasten ropes to it, and extend them to a
loose girth over the back, attaching
them thereto. Thus harnessed he may
be driven as it were over field,
the trainer pulling the ropes occasion
ally. Portions of the harness can be
very soon placed upon him, and by the
time the colt is really old enough for
use he will be pretty thoroughly
"taught," if such course is followed.
In handling a colt, or for that matter a
horse, we never want to forget our first
duty is to gain the animals confidence,
and, in the next place, that the ami
NAL can not do anything if it does not
understand what is wanted of it. An
incompetent trainer attempts to induce
the animal to do certain thing, and
because it does not understand what is
required of it and consequently can not
do it, the trainer flies into passion, the
animal becomes excited, loses confidence
both in itself and in the trainer, and great
injury is done. No man is fit to handle
q horse, much less a colt, who has not
just as much patience as a competent
teacher has with a child. He should
proceed just as teacher proceeds.
The teacher explains and explains, until
the idea is grasped, and if the child is
very stupid so much more patience is
necessary and given.
But how frequently we hear men
swearing at horse or flashing him, be-
cause he does not do what he does not
understand. A man that will whip a
horse under such circumstances is fool
lsh enough to swear at u tree because it
does not fall when he tells it to. If we
can not be gentle and patient we have
no business to touch a colt, whatever
else we may think ourselves competent
to train. A writer upon the horse has
truly said that trainer needs but three
requsites-firmness, steadiness and pa
tience. Western Rural.