The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-06-05
TRAINING THE COLT.


An Operation that Requires Skill and Pa.
thence to Prove Successful.
Many colts are actually taught to
ball, kick, scare, and many other hab-
its that render them almost worthless.
This usually results either from
carelessncss or trying to crowd too
much instruction into little time.
Man, with all his intelligence, requires
from two to five years to become
skilled in any trade. Some never
learn. How can we expect the horse,
that is guided only by instinct, to
know anything after being hitched
half dozen times? This would be
presuming him to have more sense than
his driver, and very many of them have
more horse sense than the driver has
of man sense.
After the colt has been trained so he
can be hitched and driven about with
some safety, the next step is to teach
him something about pulling. This
is SO simple matter that am real
~ ashamed to write anything about
it Yet thousands of colts receive
their first lesson in baking soon
after being first hitched. In order to
teach him to pull to his capacity, it ia
only necessary to increase his load SO
gradually that neither you nor he will
ever know when the pulling really be-
gins. And if he is never overloaded
afterward he will never balk.
1t is important to use caution in
hitching the colt for the first time to
different kinds of implements and vehi-
cles. If to one that runs somewhat
heavy, as the pillow or the harrow. he
should know something about pulling
first In working to pillow it is not
best to use the Jockey stick" at first.
He will be apt to rush ahead, jerk his
mouth on the hitch strap, rear up, and
possibly learn some bad habits in this
way. But If the check lines are used.
he can be controlled without jerking,
and after he has been taught to keep
his place, the jockey stick may be used
with satisfaction and without danger.
There is generally scene when a
high-spirited young horse is hitched
Tor the first time to Gathering ma
chine, such as mower or binder.
They will sometimes almost set him
crazy. If he is led around the field.
some distance away at first, then nearer
to it, and finally on all sides and close
up to it, he may be hitched to it with
perfect safety, provided his working
mate be entirely safe.
1t is bad habit to keep the colt
standing in the stable for several DAYS
with no exercise, and then hitch him
to something scary, just at the time he
can not be worked to anything with
any satisfaction. Turn him out and
let him stretch his legs and work off
some of the surplus steam, and the
change for the better will be like
magic. 1t is a good idea to take the
opportunity when he is somewhat
worked down in spirit to hitch him to
such things. Then he will not be like
ly to give any serious trouble, and after
a lesson or two in this condition it will
be comparatively safe to hitch him up
when in pretty high spirits.
What shall we do with the very scarv
colt? 1t is hard question to answer.
Try to get his confidence. Get him to
believe that nothing can hurt him SO
long as you have him by the bit or
lines. 1t is really wonderful what
some men can do in this way. 1 was
once riding with young man who
drove very high spirited mare. He
had wrapped the lines around the whip
and had both hands under the robe.
Suddenly she became frightened and
started on dead run. That fellow
never took his hands from under the
robe. He spoke to her once and the
speed slackened; again he spoke to her
and she came to a trot; after going
some distance he spoke to her and she
came down to walk, tossed up her
head two or three times, and really
looked ashamed. Generally mot al
vays) man can control and cool down
horse, provided he can control him
self and keep cool. But many men, as
soon as horse pricks up his ears and
luiclxens his gait q little, get ratified.
ind their bawling, frightened voice in
such cases will scare a horse as badly
Is almost anything else.
1t is common practice to strike \
lorse with. whip every time he SHES
It anything on the roadside. Nothing
worse could be done. The next time he
will not only be afraid of the object.
'ut of the whip also, and by little
raining in that way he will soon be
onfirmed in the habit of shying and
caring ateverything. We have known
number of good horses almost ruined
" this senseless practice. The better
way is to let him have little time to
ook at the object, and as soon as he
earns that it is not going to hurt him,
e will pay no attention to it.
But anything that may be said on
raining colts can only be suggestive. |
III depends on the man. If he has not |
atience, is quick tempered, or afraid,
r has not sufficient interest to study |
he colt and the best way to manage |
i'm, he would better leave the train |
~ Ia. 80 Ii Z.