Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-01-31
HANDLING THE COLT.
How to Cultivate Its Courage and De-
velop Its Best Qualities.

How to Cultivate Its Courage and De-
velop Its Best Qualities.
The winter gives leisure for ham
ding the colt To develop its courage
is an object that should always be
kept in view. It L. the common re-
mark of those who use both horses and
mules that mules run away for fun.
but horses because of fear. This fear
is usually induced by some trivial
cause. such as the rustling OF dried
leaves. the sudden spring of a rabbit
from q hedge, the breaking OF some
part of the harness or the whifietree's
giving way and rattling at the horses
heels. In some cases. the blinds on
the bride, preventing the horse from
seeing but not from hearing. are re-
ponsible for the fright. Blinds are
opposed to courage. Even a man is
timid in pitchy darkness, for he can
not see what is lurking near, and UNI
der such circumstances slight noises
may make his flesh creep. So it is
with the horse that can not see to the
rear or sides Blinds cause many
times more runaways than they pre-
vent.
A horse that is naturally courageous
may be made cOwardly by abuse. If
he often receives blows the fear of
them is uppermost; and any unknown
noise is imagined to be coming hurt,
to escape from which is an uncOntrola-
BILE impulse. The man who abuses his
horses is often rewarded by the de-
struction of his property and injury to
himself, the result of runaways. But
when the courage of the colt is devel-
oped, it is not nearly SO likely to run
away, though it be nampered with
blinds or abused by a cruel master; and
it is hardly saying too much to assert
that if it is properly treated it will
never run away. Too often the train
ing of the colt has an effect contrary
to the cultivation of its courge. For
getting that temper is the most valua-
BILE quality of the horse, its owner tries
to ''breall" its temper-tO COW the ami
NAL. The horse should be trained, not
broken; and training requires firmness,
mixed with much kindness. The man
who has no control over his own tenn
per and whose judgment is warped by
anger is not fit to train a colt. AS
abuse will make it cOwardly, SO kind
ness will make it courageous. The basis
of courage is confidence, and the first
point is to secure the confidence of the
colt. The next is to make the colt
sure of his surroundings. Watch
closely and whenever he shows fear of
any thing, allow him to smell it. If he
has confidence in his trainer this will
not be difficult. If he SHES at a stump
or rock, ride or drive him up to it.
Drive him nearer and nearer the cars
until he is no longer afraid of them.
Have the whistle sounded when his
head is turned toward it, and repeat
this till he ceases to start at the sound.
Handle his limbs and touch them with
strap until he no longor shrinks.
The courageous horse, the one with
spirit trained, not broken, is the horse
that does the most work. It does not
lag; to drive it is pleasure. 1t does
not '.give up and leave you mired in
. mud-hole; it has the spirit, the cour-
age, to exert itself to the utmost
Among horses, it is the one with
trained spirit, with fine temper. that
does the most work. the least harm,
and in danger acts quickly and intel
ligently. What horse has more cOur-
age than the Arabian. and what horse
is more docile, enduring. or admira-
ble?-Americdn Agriculturist.