The Florida agriculturist., 1907-09-25
Training of Draft Horses.


more so than in any part of the world.
Colts can be sold at some price at
anv age, but if old enough to work
and we'll trained for work, they will
bring enough more to pay for the
time and trouble needed to train them.
Possibly you may not understand
that part of the business, if so, the
following directions from the Dakota
Farmer may be valuable to you:
Since engaging in the business Of
rearing, and preparing for sale and
service, young horses of the draft
breeds, I have had to do with several
scores of young horses. Among
them [ have not yet found one balky
or naturally viciously disposed ami
NAL All have been gentle, safe, and
responsive to good treatment.
There are number of other con-
sderations besides training horse to
work in harness which must be given
due weight in preparing the young
animal for his future career. Horses
are usually broken at from two to
four years old 1t must ever be borne
in mind that horse is not mature till
five. The mature horse can endure
an amount Of labor that would pre-
maturely solidify the bones and arrest
the development of young, immature
animal. The growth thus checked is
never again resumed [ think [ am
safe in saying that a six or seven
year-old horse can perform, without
injury, double the labor he could
have done at three.
Those who expect to work young
horses should nourish them we'll
through the winter. Along about the
first of March the young animal be-
gins to feel the effect Of natures
awakening. If given a change OF
ration at. that time, stabbed, and cur-
ried, he will begin to thrive; his dl-
gestive capacity will increase greatly.
He will ssimi1ate-that is, convert
into animal tissue-the food given him
far better than through the short, cold
days and long nights of mid-winter.
His rough. winter coat will shell off
rapidly and he will be in prime condi-
ton when he enters upon his new
tasks.
In training young draft animal to
work in harness the simplest and
quickest way is to hitch him with a
we'll broken horse that is free from
nervousness and that will not bite nor
otherwise worry the awkward appren-
tice. The best thing to hitch to is a
sled or front bob; this makes no noise
and the constant pull engages the
colts attention. The first day or two
of driving or work finds the colts
mouth painfully chafed with the bit
This can be in great measure obviat
ed by wrapping the bit with cloth
taking care to remove the cloth before
it becomes offensive. It is a gooC
idea to tie the colt with halter tt
the same ring of his mate when drlv
ing him at first; this keeps him from
turning around and causing "mlx
up"
No great amount of skillful horse
manship is necessary. In fact m,
observation has been that the drive
is the one in greatest need Of disci
pline. The excitable, the nervous, tn
ill-tempered, should, before working
around young horses take course o
lessons in self-control, or should con
fine their management to bulls an
burros. A quiet, self-controlled, pa
tient person is an invaluable manage
of young animals. He may not teac
them 'ttricks," but they will becom
gentle, safe, useful and valuable unde
his direction. They seem to be If
fected with his character.
In putting the colt to work, | aga1
aroOhaciz +he fac+ that vOrrlp an