The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-07-24
Handling Colts.

NOl lung dSO, W. SdNN GIL oi
the training of colts, not breaking
them We have frequently advocated
the breeding Of horses in Florida, as
profitable branch of agriculture.
There is much more profit in having
the colts ready to drive than to sell
unbroken. The following from the
Modern Farmer, contains much good
advice on the same line.
So much has been said about the
breaking Of colts that it hardly seems
as if there is anything else to say, but
the importance Of the subject is full
justification for repetition of what
many have been said What is horse
worth unless he has good manners
and is under full subsection? With
out these he should be Du'
use as will not require them in any
great measure, but surely he should
not be used except by the best horse
men. Some men can handle almost
any horse, but there are others who
will have trouble with the best. Such
man should be careful to get only
the kind that is we'll broken and has
good manners, and let the other fell
low that thinks he can handle ally of
them have the bad ones at what they
are worth, and we can nearly always
find some one who will take the
chances.
If you feel as if you cannot break
horse or colt do not try it, for he
will discover your fears very quickly.
If you have any reason to fear you
cannot master the colt, better get help
or sell him unbroken before taking
the chances of spelling him and thus
making him SO much harder to con-
quer The ideal way is to begin with
the little fellow while yet weak and
establish your mastery. Keep at it
until he is old enough to hitch, and
the breaking will be easy. Establish
the kind of fear that will keep him
from violating your commands or dis
regarding your authority, but not the
kind Of fright that will cause him to
flee at sight Of you and make it neces-
sary to corner him in order to halter
him. | have seen men in charge OF
bunch of colts w1lo'we SO brutal to
the little fellows that comfortable
box stall and plainly of good feed
would not induce them to "run the
oantlct' of passing their keeper to get
in OF. Of violent winter storm. And
it was my fortune to have the same
colts to break when the time came.
After two or three years of that kind
Of treatment do you think they ever
forgot it? No. Fear was SO thor
1uehly imbedded in Their natures that
they never forgot it. It might not be
out of place to state that that farm
had to incur the extra expense OF d:W-
ing them from one to three years be-
fore they were safe to sell, and num-
her Of them never were safe, which
was principally on account of the bru-
tai treatment they had received the
first two years of their existence.
While I am always sorry to see any
kind of animal abused, it is true I
have had a few colts to break that
had come to that point where it seem
ed that only a good sound whipping
would reduce them to subsection.
Kindness and coaxing might have &C
complished the work in time, but men
do not like to pay the trainer for coax
ing and petting their colts into sub
mission when it seems like an end
less job. Whether horse is biddable
and easily broken or shows a DISPOSE
ton to be headstrOng and mean, he
must be brought under subsection by
some method before he can be con-
sidered safe.-H. c. Peters Before
Ohio Institute
When a horse eats dirt, it is no
sign that he is sick He is onlv seek
hot xx,1oiC1, |,