Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-07-13
Promoting the Walking Gait.

This is the most valuable property in
the gait of horse for the farm, where
nearly all the work has to be done on a
walk. A horse that is good stopper
will do from quarter to third more
work than a slow walker, and he will
do it with the same ease. as it is his
natural gait. and with proportionately
less expenditure of energy; that is, tbs
work will be done with less expense of
food and waste of flesh for an equal
amount of work. Then there is the
ready action requiring no urging. and
the celebrity which hastens the finishing
of the work, an important item where
the work is crowding, rs in the spring.
Besides, both man and horse are free
from worry. In making up your team,
have it matched in gait as nearly rs
possible. The pair will work so much
the better, whether fast or slow walk
ers. Of all things, avoid coupling a
fast stopper with Slowly one. Where
thus united, the good horse will fret,
and mischief may result to his gait and
his temper. Gait is hereditary, yet,
like other qualities of nature, it may be
greatly improved by training, especially
if begun in the colt. have long won
dered at the apparent indifference on
this subject. Is it that the value of a
walkiDg-gait has escaped notice, or that
it is considered unworthy of attention,
or incapable of improvem ent? AS well
say trotting or running gait can not
be improved. We have a quality here
TO be developed which is of far more
value than the sporting qualities Of the
horse.
What the farmer wants, and what
the teamster and drayman will not OBJ
ject to, is good, strong walker Such
horse is not lazy, and is less likely to
be an awkward or stumbling horse.
He lifts his feet and puts them down
well. There is no drag in his
creeping brute. A good walker is usu-
ally possessed of some spirit. This is
necessary to sustain his gait, if he is to
become serviceable. 1t is also an adj
vantage in his training, requiring little
more than restraint to prevent him
from breaking his walk. Beginning
with leading the colt to halter as soon
as he has the use of his feet well. be-
fore he gets accustomed to break. his
walk may be readily improved and the
habit after awhile established. if he is
of tractable disposition. If. while 1un.
ming with his dam, he should, in his
capering. get into a trot or run, it will
not seriously affect his halter habit, or.
later on, his practice in the traces.
Neither does his walking practice inter-
| fere with his trotting, which, during
the course of the former. may also be
INDUCED and improved. But let each
be kept distinct for the time, so as to
secure an impression. The colt will
soon learn to know what is wanted, and
if properly encouraged will respond; il
he is what he should be, tractable. in
telligent and sufficiently spirited to car
~ out what is intended. If awkward
or stupid he is not worth the trial.
In the absence of special trainer OF
colts, any man Of intelligence who feels
an interest in the matter and has pa
thence and control of his temper may be
trusted to undertake the work. 1t is all
the better if he be the owner of the colt
Not that he will succeed in full devel.
opment, but he is pretty sure TO so fan
improve the value of his horse as to pay
well for the effort, and it needs but lit.
tie improvement to do that when the
long service of the horse-some twenty
years or more with good treatment:
considered. At first, lead your colt BY
the halter. Gradually increase hi:
! speed. Here will occur the greatest
difficulty, through the eagerness of get.
ting him advanced. BY urging him toe
much he will break. and frequent break
ing, becoming itself habit, will antag
onize and defeat what it is intended K
promote. Patience, with time. is re
quired, and it is the only way. The col
is to have his walk so gradually adj
vanced that he does not become aware O
it. When the colt becomes stronger anC
an advance has been made in its gait s.
that leading it becomes too much of ,
task, mount the mare and couple III,
young one with its dam. This will &C
custom it to being paired and kept il
place. The training TO a walk require.
no such exertion as applies to trottins
or running. The exercise NAV. there
fore, be more frequent and of longel
duration, but must necessarily be milo
at first and decided throughout, giving
the colt to understand that you are ii.
master, but Kind master.
If there is a better way than this LET 4
be employed, for the advantages within
reach here should no longer be ignored
The thing is to get it started. Ii wa.
so with trotting, the possibilities O
which were not known till a thorough
test had been made, and the result sur
prises us all The walking gait is in tn,
interest of farmers. No excitement at
taches to It as with trotting and run
ming, which are sustained by the excite
nrnt- 1t is matter of business only
and may be classed with farm Improve
menfs.-C0r. Country Gentlemen.