The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-02-08

these young animals evil tricks and
then 90 to work to reform them. This
is how colt is usually brought up: He
is allowed to run at large with his dam,
but forms no acquaintance with human
beings. Pretty much all he knows
about boys and men Is that they hit
him with whip whenever he comes
within their reach, and that they are
always making some horrid noise or
other to brighten him away from places
where he should not be. He has no
idea of man being his friend, provider
and protector. He grows up to fear
him and to keep out of his way as much
as possible. AT last the time comes
when his services are wanted. Then
he is chased around field or barn
yard, worried and frightened, cornered,
caught and tied with a strong rope. He
does not know what is wanted of him,
and consequently has no idea how he
ought to act He is nervous, awkward
and gets excited. The consequence is
that he does what he ought not to do,
gets chastised, resists, and is chastised
more; and at last gives up in a sort of
sullen despair and lets his tormentors
do what they like with him. He is ODE
dent from fear and can render no in
telligent service, because he has not
been instructed how to do it. He is IL
able to run away if he gets the chance,
to kick if anything strikes his heels
and to do all manner of Objectionable
things just when good behavior would
be of most value. But he has not been
taught what good behavior is. He has
first been trained to wildness, and then
all at once man has asserted and estab-
lished tyranncal supremacy over him
which is CALLING, and from which it is
natural that he should wish to escape.
More than all other animals, not even
excepting the dog, the horse is formed
for friendship with man, and from
the earliest period of his life the colt
should be trained to love and trust every
human being about him. Boys and
hired men should be made to treat colts
with the utmost kindness. 1t is educa-
ton that colts need, and this they should
have from the earliest period of their
babyhood. Their confidence should be
won by kind treatment. They should
be handled from the first, petted, ca
ressed and fondled. They have a won
derfully affectionate nature, and through
it may be taught whatever it is neces-
sary they should know. The very first
summer of their lives they should be
battered and led about at will, and in
stead of being left to run around the
barn-yard all winter should be stabbed
in loose stalls, often battered and
handled, and every means used to pre-
vent their ever becoming wild. Under
this treatment they learn to regard
those who handle and feed them with
warm friendship. 1t becomes their
ambition to win their approval, as ex-
pressed by kind word, caress, the
gift of an apple or some little dainty,
and when service is wanted they are
delighted to render it. Thus treated,
they need no breaking all they
want is education or training.
To this excellent article from the
Rural Canadian we wish to add Mr.. H.
II. Hills (member of the Board of
Agriculture) method of biting, which
we believe to be the very best one we
have ever used or seen. After the
colt has been handled as above directed
he should be carefully harnessed, as if
to drive in a carriage. Then tie up the
tugs in the breeching-rings and run the
side straps or hold-back straps through
the thill-holders and back and buckle
them. -Four small clothes-line pulleys
and about eight or ten feet of small
braided cotton cord one-fourth or three
eighths of an inch in diameter, say
about the size of a common cedar pen
Gil. Fasten one pulley to each biting
and one to each gag-runner or
check-rein guide. Then, doubling the
cord in the middle, snub or moose the
blight of the cord on the water-hook
so that it will not slip about Pass the
ends of the cord through the pulley at
the gag-runner," down through the
pulley at the bit, and back, and faster
in the thill-holder. Draw the core
tightly enough so the colt will feel the
bit, but not too tightly at first, and
leave him in the yard half an hour OF
so. 1t is not an instrument of torture
The colt can move his head up ant
down, as the cord runs through thu
pulleys, and relieve his neck from any
pain from keeping it strained up il
one position. The treatment may bt
repeated daily for week or two, o.
not quite as often, and continued til
he does not fight or chafe against the
bit, when he is ready for furthe
lessons, and, being used to the bit, will
the more readily learn what will mex
be required of him and make TIT
acquaintance of the thills.