Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-08
FOR THE FARMER.
The Education of the Colt-Hov to Feed
Live Stock for the Early Spring
Market.
Methods of Using Manure Poultry Rails
ing Profita bIe-Three Good
Recipes.
The Education of the Colt.

Following are some practical sug-
gestions for the initial steps in training
young horses, by RatraI Canadian, that
embody the true theory, as all horse
men will admit. 1t is, however, an I'M
fortunate fact that not one man in ten
carries out this practice. So well does
it work that, in an incredibly short
time, the colt becomes so gentle and
teachable, the impatient trainer con-
siders him sufficiently broken, and
hastens to harness and work the ami
NAL, when, in point of fact, he has
only arrived at the a, b, C, of his edu-
cation. The result of such undue haste
is obvious; the colt is never really
broken. That it pays in the long run
to follow the advice here given the
writer firmly believes.
Begin the education of a colt by
bride handling first on one side and
then on the other. Put him about in
different directions, forward, back
ward, to the left and right, and get
him to yield to the bit in each of these
directions. This should be done both
in the stable and yard, and in using
reins for this purpose the trainer should
exercise steady, firm pressure on the
bit until the colt yields, when the pres
sure should be removed at once, in or
der for him to understand that he has
obeyed.
When the colts head can be handled
in every conceivable direction, and the
muscles of his neck are supple and
are controlled, then handle the for
ward feet, then the body, and finish
with the hind feet and tail. When
handling the colts feet teach him
to allow you to pick them up and rub
and rap on them with hammer, and
to hold them up until you get ready to
let them 90. Take the tail in your
hand carefully, and raise il we'll up
over his back. repeating this until he
makes no objection. Take a pole
about the size of sled-stake, pole
him all over his body, and pry in be-
tween his legs until he shows no fear
of it. Teach him to stand and allow a
harness to be tossed on to and all
about him. Handle umbrellas, robes,
paper, etc., about his head and body
until he is utterly Indifferent to them
all. Lead and back him into and over
an old pair of shafts repeatedly, and
when he is standing in them raise
them up and rub his legs with them,
and finally bring the crossbar against
his launches, gently at first and then
more forcibly, until he cares nothing
for it. All these things should be done
to the colt before he is harnessed at
all.
A colt should be put through series
of refining lessons before he is hitched
to vehicle. While refining him the
whip ought to be used, not only to get
motion to handle on, but with view
to educating him to increase his speed
when it is applied and getting him
under control of it. for no horse is safe
to drive unless he will $50 to the 'front.'
when tapped with the whip.
In striking q horse with whip al
ways do so forward of his loins. Dur
ing his refining lessons the colt should
be taught to stand still at the simple
word whoa He should be taught to
back.
When first hitched up the colt should
be taken in large yard and started
about carefully, and when he can be
driven and backed all about such
place, it is time enough for the train
er to trust himself in the road, where
there is more danger of mishap, and
where control could not so readily be
obtained if one should occur. In
order to ''waywise" a colt quickly and
make him a nice reiner. he should be
refined about from one side to the other,
driven through shallow bitches, up
alongside of fences, and out again in
to the road, turned around frequently,
to the right as often as to the left, and
taught TO pass teams either to the
right or left when meeting or over
taking them.