Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-03-03

The usefulness of the colt depends
largely on his training and development
aud many driver who can pull off a
great race is not competent to break and
handle colts. The boy is the type of the
man, so a cot will never make top
sawyer whose disposition becomes
soured in breaking or his growth stunted
in development. No trainer or driver
is competent to break and handle colts
until he has first subdued himself. A
man who cancontro himself is greater
than the general who can conquer
city. The trainer, therefore, who loses
his temper in breaking a colt is sure to
spoil the animal and such man needs
breaking himself. Aside from the
natural instincts inherited from its
ancestors the colt has to be taught all
its knowledge. In breaking colts
education should commence at weaving
time. The youngster at six months
old is of sufficient age to separate from
his dam and his breaking commenced.
The first day taken up the colt is turned
into box stall with his dam and Is hal
ter broken, which is done very easily.
Taking an assistant to aid the trainer, he
enters the stall, provided with halter,
to which, in addition to the usual shank,
is attached a fourteen foot rope. He
catches the colt and slips the halter over
his head, meanwhile standing close to
the colt and getting acquainted with him
by simply running his hand over the
colts head and down his neck to his
withers. BY gently pinching the top of
his name the colt soon commences to lose
all fear of his new friend-an idea soon
learned by watching young colts get ac-
q tainted with each other in the pasture,
one of their first moves always being to
nip at each others names.
The halter once on, the rope is passed
around the hind quarters, crossed on the
wthers, and thence again into the ring
of the halter, which, while it goes far
toward controlling the colt, at the same
time accustoms him from the first to
the wearing of breeching. The dam is
then led from the stall, and the natural
inclination of the col. being to follow
her, he is half broken to lead before he
knows it. He is never asked to go above
a couple of hundred yards, and, when
returning, is led first, the dam following.
Should he evince any fright or dislnci
nation to lead, by allowing him to look
back and see his dam coming after him
he soon becomes treasured. In this way
the youngster is broken to halter gener-
ally by the first lesson.
The next day the mother is taken away
and another colt of the same age substi-
tuted, experience teaching that two colts
running together in the same box do bet
ter than if separated. The colts feet are
trimmed up, and light bride, provided
with soft leather bit and a pair of four
teen foot web lines, is put on, under
which is worn the halter, provided with
long shank. Light skin and quarter
boots and a roll on the front tendon are
also worn, to provide, at the outset,
against any misstep and consequent hurt
or injury. as nothing retards progress so
much.
A good lead pony is one of the most
indispensable things to the colt breaker,
as with poor one advancement is al
most impossible. First mounting the
pony, with the lines and whip in hand, the
colt should be allowed to become familiar
with the saddler, as he thus gains conf
dence in his surroundings, while he can
easily. by means of the whip, the use of
which he soon learns, be checked in any
attempt towards too much friendliness.
Beginning this way, it is surprising how
soon he will learn to drive tandem ahead
of the pony. The meaning of whoa and
the command to go ahead are quickly
fixed in his mind, while, should he at
tempt to rush off, he is kept in hand
by the halter shank, which is grasped
together with the reins, and thus con-
trolled without saving upon the lines and
iniuring his mouth. By quickly bringing
the pony alongside If he endeavored to
sheer off too willfully he is also taught
to keep straight AS well as by the pres
sure on the bit.
Thus working him for about ten days
during which his progress is often so
rapid as to be marvellous, the colt is Of
ten fitted out with complete set of har.
ness, including collar and breeching, and
got accustomed to them, being driven
from the pony's back until used to his
new accoutrements. He is then ready to
be hitched.
When first harnessed to a cart, he is
hitched double. his old friend the pony
being again his companion. Already
habituated to the harness, he Is made
fast to the cart ere he is aware of it. In
starting the pair it is of the first impor-
lance that pony should move off at once,
thus melting the colt to action, as should