Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-06-02
Training the Colt.

ton on the farm than breaking the
colt, says a writer in the New York
Tribune Farmer. This is especially
true in the South, where almost every
farmer keeps more horses than he
needs for his own use. This being
the case, the colts are often allowed
to run at large until they are 4 years
old, and even much older, before they
are handled in any way. When one
is needed for use he ia haliered up
with strong ropes and held by several
negroes, whose only claim to ability
to handle young stock is based on
strength and rough treatment. Thus
the poor colt is brought to obedience
by fear Of cuffs, kicks and blows. No
wonder kind horses are scarce. Any
horse that has been broken in this
way can never be trusted. You may
use one that has been broken in this
manner for long time, and some day
he will remember his early training
and kick or run away with you.
The best way I have ever seen
colt handled is to begin the work
yourself when the animal is quite
small. This may be done by caress-
ing him in his stall and about his dam.
When he is perfectly gentle I halter
him and direct some Que to lead his
mother, while l allow him to walk af-
ter her as l walk by him, holding his
halter. In this way be is trained to
chatter lead" before he is aware of it
himself.
l always get my wife to assist me
in this work, or rather play. When
the colt is accustomed to the use of
the halter put lines on him, and have
my wife use the lines while l lead him
wherever please. In this way we
teach him to be guided by the lines
and not fear any kind of "scare-crows."
After he is easily turned by the lines
have my wife drive on a good road,
while 1 pull buggy after him. In
this way he is used as Of often as posi-
die until he is l to 2years old. Then
we begin to use him in reality to
light buggy on good roads until he is
old enough to meet the stern realities
of busy life. After-this other peo-
pie are allowed to use him gently.
So well does this kind of training
last that l have trained many good
horses for all kind ofservice, and have
had only one vicious horse in the whole
lot, and his early care was neglected.
One of these has never been known to
kick, shy or run. One beautiful thor
oughbred colt that we had handled in
this way was driven by US to town to
church. This was his first time to be
driven, and as we were going down
the street we overlook my mother-in-
law walking to church. got out Of
my buggy and she gotin. After they
had started she asked my wife if the
horse was gentle. My wife replied {:
~ suppose SO; it is the first time he
was ever driven"
1t is noticed by all our neighbors
that every horse we own is perfectly
gentle and absolutely safe for any one
to ride or drive. This gives me quite
an advantage in selling horse. TRY
to have two or three to sell each year
and always find a ready market for
them on account of their good quail
ties, and this at fancy prices. You
see, it not only pays to have them bro
ken in this manner to sell, but if you
keep one for your own use you have
the proud satisfaction Ofknowlng that
he is safe for the entire family to use,
and the hired hand is not likely to
spoil him in any way. This satifaction
alone is worth much to the busy farm
er, who has plenty of worry at best.
Solomon meyer said a truer thing
than when he said "Train up child
in the way he should go, and when he
is old he will not depart from it. "
This seems to be as true of colts as it
is Of men. You may bring up colt
in that wild unbroken way, and when
old he will not depart from it, although
he may have done 80 in middle life.
For this same reason we see old horses
that have been kind and gentle for
years become "old fools" in their last
years of life. They are simply follow
ing up their early training.