The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-07-02
BREAKING THE COLT.

Many fine horse is ruined before il
becomes horse At all, and the owner
charge his loss upon the Encouragement
Of the colt at time of breaking. We
have seen colts, after remarkable patience
with the stupidity or viciousness Of those
breaking, them, at last resort to kicking
or baking through feat or in self-de-
Tense, and in many cases the defect is
lasting.
A very great mistake is To permit the
colt TO run wild from the time il is
foaled until il reaches the proper age
for breaking. 1t is not uncommon to
find colts that are rs wild Is hawks, be-
cause they have never been even fondlcd,
much less familiarizcd with the touch of
any part of harness. Very naturally
such colt is handled with difficulty and
danger when the attempt to break il is
made. Such 4 result is utterly incxcus-
able, for il is rather 4 pleasure than
otherwise to familiarize the colt with
being handled, and the accomplishing
of that object should be begun at once,
and the breaking of the colt, in the prop.
er sense, should be commenced is soon
rs it is wcaned. That isto say, is should
be accustomed To the halter, to being
led about, and even tied up for short
periods. The surcinglc can be applied;
anything that car be done without in
jury TO the colt to accustom it TO the
touch Of harness should be done, grad
ually of course, for not only would
nothing be gained by doing everything
at once, but the irritation that would be
caused might he injurious to the young
animal. After the first year the break
ing should be more in earnest. The
colt can then be bitted, care being taken
to select much smaller bit than is gen.
orally used and one that will not hurt
the animals mouth. A wooden bit is
good thing tocommence with. When
he has become accustomed to the bit,
which he will in few days, it is adj
visable to fasten ropes to it, and extend
them to loose girth over the back, at
taching them thereto. Thus harnessed
he may be driven rs 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
usehe will be pretty thoroughly taught,
il such 4 course is followed. In hand
ling colt, or for that matter horse,
We never want to forget our first duty is
to gain the animals confidence, and in
the next place, that the animal cannot
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
il and consequently cannot 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
horse, much less n colt, who has not
just as much patience as 4 competent
teacher has with child. He should
proceed just rs teacher proceeds. The
teacher explains and explains, until the
idea is grasped, and If the child is very
stupid SO much more patience is ncccs-
sary and given.
But how frequently we hear men
swearing at horse or lashing him, be-
cause he does not do what he does not
understand. A man that will whip 4
horse under such circumstances is fool
ish enough to swear at a tree because it
docs not fall when he tells il to. II We
cannot be gentle and patient we have
no business to touch 4 colt, whatever
else we may think ourselves competent
to train. A writer upon the horse has
truly said that trainer needs but three
requsites-frmness, steadiness and pa
tienca - IK-sk.r,; Rvr,l