Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-08-28


a thorough biting and refining and will
next be hitched in wheels Carefully"
so as not to scare him by the touch of
thills andsSure not let the crossbar
i ttHls sais.,,
faHsyeafs ago the writer began
11akfl5 tDlts in blind bride about as
8 IL above, and got along so
2 Pat he was soon called colt
zMeaker,n and has since had the eXper-
fence of handling about $50 colts, and
this experience has taught him not TO
trust horses, but to as thoroughly test
and educate as possible and do all ed
ucating in open bride on the following
general principles: First, bride ana
give good thorough head handling or
"bitting," while this is being done also
teaching the colt to have all parts OF
himself handled and allowing him to
see it done. Next to stand still ana
be harnessed and Embarrassed, allow
ing harness and straps to bangle ABOUT
legs and feet, all of the time being gen
tie but firm with the colt, and caretul
in correcting the colt never to PUNISH
or Cypress him beyond the point OF
obedience.
AS soon as these things are accom-
plished and the colt is taught to drive
nicely with the reins, to go in all places
he ought to go, over brush pies, INTO
corners, etc., and to stop and start at
the word, then by beginning with
broom handle or some similar smooth
stick, accustom him to it's touch on all
parts, between legs, or back, neck, head,
ears, ETC., and from this, by sensible
progressive lessons, educate him to
walk with a pole twelve or fourteen
feet long held in hand and drawn be-
side him against all his legs and be-
tween them, then held in shaft lug and
used as shaft on one side at time,
to fit him for the use of real thills,
teaching him and handling him just as
much and the same on one side as on
the other; also accustom him to allow
ing the pole pressed against his hind
parts as a cross bar would press him
without holdbacks. When this has
been patiently continued until the colt
takes it all kindly and cheerfully, it will
do to show him the tWo-Wheeled break
cart, thoroughly acquaint him with the
sight and rattle of it, and first run
ming it ahead of him by taking hold Of
one thill as he is led along. When he is
not bit afraid of it in this way and
will walk up and smell of it and put his
breast and forward legs fearlessly
against all parts of it, it will do to lead
him around to the thillS, and letting
them lie on the ground lead him over
and across them; lead him in between
them head toward the cart, ETC., until
he has no fear of them; then turn him
around and back him in (still letting
thills lie on the ground,) back him to
and against the cross-bar, gently at
first, and repeat until he will start the
cart back little Con level grounO by
his heels. Then standing by his head,
with a firm hold of the reinS near the
bit, take up thills and let him smell of
both of them, then rub them against
his shoulders, legs and sides, gently
shaking them until his attention is
surely on them and the cart; then run
cart back a few inches and back colt to
cross-bar. Repeat this until he will
back the cart anywhere by his legs
against the cross-bar. Then it will do
to lead him ahead one step, stop him
and gently at firsD draw cross-bar
against his legs. Repeat this until he
does it cheerfully and as if he liked it,
ears up in a pleasant attitude.
Next put thills in Tugs and draw back
and turn cart with him until he is ac-
customed to every movement and sound
of it; then hitch in and lead, then drive,
using good controlling bit Ghe Sanborn
is our choice and safety rein, and when
colt drives and turns kindly and acts
right, get on and ride. Use kicking
strap until colt has been out and seen
a dog fight" and several bicycles have
whirred past him from behind and he
appears safe.
Now, we have said nothing about the
old baskets, bags, papers, umbrellas,
ETC., that he should be thoroughly ac-
moved before he can be called educated
or safe to drive, and the best time to ed
ucate to all these is before being hitched
up to drive. When thus Thoroughly ed
ucated in open bride use with blind
ers if desired. In all education of the
colt allow him the use of his senses,
and begin at his head To Memorize this
point we will say, begin where his
brain is In educating to umbrella
teach him to follow it carried in front
of him, to smell of it, to walk with it
over his head, then at little distance
to one side and the other, gradually to
allow it carried high and low behind
him. The keynote to tactness in teach
ing these things will be to build up his
confidence without soaring him, ano
thus remove what natural fear he may
have.