The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-07-30
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, July 30, 1886.
Training and Breaking Colts
ola Practical Trainer


KINDNESS CONQUERS.
HOW TO BREAK KICKING HORSES
HOW TO CURE HALTER PULLERS
FEEDING AND CARE OF HORSES.
Mr.. Adam Simnacher, lessee of the FAN
Grounds at Bel Air, has been remarkably sue
cossful in breaking horses of bad habits aud
teaching them good ones instead. Mr.. Simnachel
is an enthusiastic about horses and has made
friends of them from his childhood. He is about
q years of age and for two and a-half years
worked in a blacksmith shop as a horse shoor-
During this time he had ample opportunities of
observing the various tricks and bad habits of
the equine race. When 16 years of age he be-
gan to handle horses and has been at il ever
since.
Mr.. Simnacher don't believe in the use of the
whip in breaking horses but relies on tho law of
kindness Horses, he thinks, should be trained
and taught almost like children. Occasionally,
but very rarely, he says, it is necessary to COR
rect horse for fault by whipping. This is
only where horse refuses to do thing that he
has done before and when you are satisfied the
animal is acting from pervcrsenoss.
a colt that has been spoiled or allowed to kick
or run away at the outset is more difficult to
break than one that has never been handled. 1t
is easier, with horses as with children, to teach
them good habits at first than to eradicate bad
habits before thegood ones are taught
If your horse, in driving away n fly, in the
stable, throws his head against you don't strike
him over the head, said Mr.. Simnacher and on
no account suffer your coachman or WAGNER to
strike one OF your horses on the head. Horses
are often ruined in this way Besides the danger
hppOmp
nervous that if you approach them when tied
they will pull back and break the halter.
In breaking colt first teach him to have con-
iidence in you and to regard you as his best
friend. Unless you do this you cannot meet with
no matter what you may DO with him you will
not cause him pain. By kind treatment, said
Mr.. Simnacher, in two weeks | have had colts
so fond of me that they would follow me around
by the hour without a bride.
Some colts object very much to harness. par
tcularly to the crupper, but with gentleness and
patience they will soon get over that After get
ting them used to harness teach them the use of
the bit and words of command. Never jerk or
snatch the lines. horses mouth is as senSi-
tive as your finger. After the colt has progress
ed this far in his education he may be harnessed
up, Have good strong harness see that it tits
of him. Let him understand that you are his
master, but kind, considcrate one. When pro-
perly harnessed, if he has learned his previous
lessons thoroughly there will seldom be any
trouble about getting him to CO. II there is, be
patient, Never lose your temper and your
DO not keep your colt in harness too long at
first, but accustom him gradually TO the use of
the harness. After you have trained him to pull
your break cart over the place take him out on
the road In little while he will become ac-
customGd to the novelty of things along the road,
and by the same kind treatment you can accus-
tom him to pass without fear steam threshers
or locomotives.
Any horse can be taught good habits instead of
bad if not too old. 1t is hard to teach an old
horse new tricks.
now TO CURE FULLER
,lp,rt 1,
men to cure a horse OF pulling on the bride or
halter. The most common of these is to place Il
thin rope under the horses tail bring the ends
through the torrets on the saddle, thence
through the rings on the bride and fasten the
ends to the fence or rack where he has been
surprised to find the rope cutting him in the rear
and the more violently he throws himself back
the more severe the twitch he receives. This
will cure some horses, but occasionally it will
make horse kick and you have two faults in
stead of one.
4 better plan is to pass the rope around the
body, and carry it under the breast up between
the fore legs, through the bride rein and fasten
it to the rail in front. The motion of the horse
backward causes the rope to press upon his back
and the harder he pulls the more severe the
pressure. There is no danger of injuring horse
with this CONTINUANCE and it will etfoctualy cure
the worst halter-braker.
KICKING HORSES.
One of the most dangerous faults horse can
have is a disposition to kick when harnesscd to
vehicle. Mr. Simnacher has broken some of
the very worst kickers. In curing this, as well
us other faults, the horse must be treated gent
ly, kindly but firmly. Mr.. Simnacher has
found a little contrivance of his own much more
useful as Il safeguard in breaking a kicker than
the ordinary kicking straps. Straps are run
from the saddle hook through iron loops on each
side of the bride, then passed down the jaw strap
to the bit, passing through the rings; then back
again between the ears, under the browband
and back to the saddle rings; passing through
these and through two rings on the hip straps,
finally being fastened to the shafts.
With this arrangement the moment a horse
raises his heels he throws his head in the air
The harder he tries to kick the more strain there
is on the strap pulling his head up.
SHOOTING HORSES.
Colts should be taught to be shod quietly
This can be done by taking up their feet every
day, cleaning them out and tapping on them with
a hammer. Then when you want them shod
there will be no difficulty. Don'tl let your black
natures pad to protect the foot. Only the rag
gcd parts should be cut away. No blacksmith
who understands his business will place hot
shoe to horses foot and let it burn the hoof
until it fits itself Fit the shoe to the foot, not
the foot to the shoe. The heels shou d be kept
open to prevent contraction of the hoof. The
shoes should be changed about once in every
four week.
Colts are often permanently injured by being
shod too heavily in front thereby straining the
muscles of the legs and sprnging them at the
knees. When first handled colt should be shod
with twelve ounce shoe-not heavier. If it is
In front, use toe weights. Then your colt will
not be compelled to carry the extra weight all
the time.
CLIPPING HORSES.
Mr.. Simnacher does not like clipping horses,
except to trim the fetocks and legs. 1t is a
cruel practice. In summer they are tormented
by flies and in winter they must be kept blanket
cd constantly to keep them from taking cold.-
Clipping is a good thing for lazy horsemen, be-
cause a clipped horse can be easily groomed. 1t
is far better, however, to use the curry comb and
brush, and leave the covering as nature pro-
vided it.
FEEDING AND CARE OF HORSES.
~, Horses II properly attended to rarely get sick.
They should be fed and watered regularly. If a
itNy
of food. The stable should be kept perfectly
clean and the horse given plenty of fresh
clean straw. Horses should'be kept, If possible,
loose in stalls. They can rest better than when
battered. horse in training should be groom
ed every morning, and fed two quarts of oats be-
fore coming out of the stable. Then after half
hour or more of exercise he should be taken
back to the stable, thoroughly dried and cleaned,
and an hour or so afterwards have two quarts
more of oats. AT noon he should be fed two
quarts of oats and in the evening two quarts of
oats and two quarts of chop, mixed together and
about two pounds at night and occasionally a
bite during the day. Many persons depend more
h6Tes Ged p t@n RT eGP p ne their
service out of horse elbow grease is required.
horse that has been oris to be speeded should
be, watered with great care, He should not be
allowed to gorge himself with water before GO
ing on the track, and after he comes off should
have mouthful. Then when entirely cooled Off
and cleaned, he may have all he wants.
SOME FAST TRoTTERs IN TRAINING.
Mr. Simnacher has now six horses under his
The sorrel, Pride of Hartford, or Allen H., be-
longing to Mr.. Allen Hoffman, of Bel Air. This
Is q Patchen cotan was raised by Mr. Charles
Osborn of Aberdeen. Last summer he made a
half mile in LIS. Little Tim belonging to DR.. G.
A. Holingsworth, of Bel Air. Little Tim is a
bay, years old and good mover. Can safely
be said to trot in three minutes. Mona, a bright
bay mare. 3 years old, belonging to Mr.. Noble l..
Mitchell She is very handy but is merely being
broken as a roadster. Mollie, fine large bay
mare, years old, belonging to Mr.. j. +. Weisner,
valued at $1,000. Hartford, fine three-year old
gelding, belonging to +. D. Morrison, of Balti-
more. He will be entered at the next Hartford
Fair in the three-year old races. Lady Clare q
thorough. bred mare. 5 years old, belonging to
Dr. j; f. Martenet, of Baltimore. This mare is a
is being broken to harness and will be used for
breeding purposes. The whole secret of success
in breaking and training horses, said Mr.. Sim
nacher, may be summed up in two words: -
kindness conquers."