Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-05-29
BREAKING IN YOUNG HORSES.


Young farm and draft horses
| should be broken in to the collar
when they are about two and a
half years old, or a little older, and
lit is a general practice among
farmers to break them at this age.
At two and a half years oldayoung
horse has not nearly attained to It's
full development and strength,
and is long way off maturity. 1t
is quite untitled at this age to per-
! form real hard work On account
both of lack of strength and of its
limmaturity. The frame OF the
Young horse is unable to stand
much strain without injury, and to
tax its powers unduly by demand
ling severe work from it is most IN
1 furious, and spoils the young AMI
Imal for the future. When the
Young horses are being broken IN
they>must receive very conslderate
treatment, and every care must De
taken not to overtax their strength
in any way, either by making them
IL
pull two hard or by working them
for too long time. They should
be accustomed to being worked in
a most gradual manner, and the
work must be light and easy, such
! as drawing light harrows or pulling
the pillow when the soil works easily.
; When the young horse is put 70
work, it is quite sufficient to work
lit for an hour daily during the first
| week or two. After that gradual
Ily the hours of work may be still
futber extended; but in no case
e should a young and immature horse
Y work as long hour as the other team
a horses. 1t is a good plan to let th'
young horse have a whole day
: rest at frequent intervals, and whel
is thus rested for day it is bes
e TO turn it out to Craze; but it mus
|. receive its usual allowance OF gran
all the same.
II SPECIAL FEEDING.
'r When they are being put t.
1t work young horses require an am
N ple allowance of grain in order t
70 keep them in good condition. !
t will not, however, do to put
a. Young horse onto big allowanc
rs Of grain Immediately after 1t
s. taken up from grass and orougf
IN into the stable to be broken II
ne AS the young animal is not accu
rs toned to being fed on a grain dl'
lis it's digestion will be upset, and q
r. pestive troubles will most pfobab
go be caused if it is suddenly give
OF much grain. At first only smf
a allowance of grain--say four to S
st. pounds-should be fed, the dal
d, ration being gradually increas'
h every two or three days until tt
IL full grain allowance is reached.
at this way all digestive troubles mi
n be avoided. Young horses whl
e. are worked only very lightly
ed not require as large an allowan
ne of grain as the team horses that
is their full share of work upon t
n farm. But young horses while I
as ing accustomed to work should n
nd be stinted in their ration OF graz
lie, and they ought to be literally keF
n as they have to make growth al
M development, and for this purpo
they need plenty of nourishmer
ess They have also to build up muse
he and there is nothing like grain
"a. making muscle in a horse.
IN LEARNING BY STAGES.
/ To break young team horses
me the collar is an easy matter, a
ut very little trouble need be expe
IN enced if the breaking in process
he carried out in a competent mann
nd The young horse ought to be
ew customed to wearing a collar a
mo carrying harness, and also tQfhi
lot ing a bit in its mouth, bef9
ess put to work. Young hors
Sc. to be taught what they
lily learn by stages, and it !