The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-12
BREAKING AND
 TRAINING COLTS
Steps To Be Taken Prelini- nary to Hitching to Vehi- cle Suggested Precau- tions in Early Horse Training.

Washington, May @12.VThe er- ] roneous idea that cruelty in horse l breaking and training is necessary is practically a thing of the past. We'll directed patience has been found to give better results than inconSiderate applications of the "persuader." How
 ever, all horses are not to be treated l alike; a high-strung, sensitive horse
 must be Handled gently, the dullard l treated sharply The first thing in
 training a horse is to get his atten-
 tion; second, make him understand
 what is wanted says the new Farm CTS Bulletin No. 667, Breaking and Training Colts,'7 by the U. s. Depart
 Tnent of Agriculture. The education 1 of the horse, continue the bulletin, Is based on reward and punishment and each should immediately follow the 1 the act. The advantage of breaking a horse when he is young before he I has developed a strong independent instinct is easily seen> The plan gen. orally followed lis to break the colt to being led and handled before it is weaned, and to break to harness be- ] tween the ages of 3 and years Colts 1 should not do heavy work until they l are years old and should be ac-
 customed to it gradually.
 I The following description of a rope l harness to be used in teaching the l colt to stand is also used in the first 1 lesson on leading. A colt tied with this harness cannot easily. injure l1im7
 self in his efforts to get loose. A pull
 on the rope, as adjusted, exerts a
 pressure almost simultaneously on
 the crupper, surcingle and on the l halter.
 l Before a colt is broken to being led l it should be taught to stand tied; this
 applies to, unbrokens horses ~ofs all ages. To do this, put a strong halter I on the colt; then take a rope about
 IA feet long, double it, putting the I loop under the horses tail as erup- per, twist the two ends together about I three times so the twisted rope lies on the coIdt's back a few inches ahead the tail, then let one come l forward on each side of the horse i and tie them together in front against l the chest just tight enough so that it l will not drop down; then run sur cingle loosely around the horse be- I hind the withers, tying into it the | icrupper rope at both sides. Have an additional rope about 12 feet long. | run 1t through the halter ring, and tie it at the breast to the rope that
 forms the crupper Tie the other end
 of the rope to a solid post, allowing iabout 3 feet of slack. Leave the colt tied foF an hour. Another method is I to have a loop in one end of the rope,
 run the lead strap through this loop. and tie it with a. little slack to the trope that forms the crupper, the oth- |
 While tied the colt should be I gentled and accustomed to being Handled on both sides, on the hind
 parts. and on the legs. To dc this, I hold the headstall in one hand with
 the other hand pet and rub the colt. ] first on the neck and head, then on the back and sides, and last on the legs. To gentle the hind parts take q
 stick about 4 feet long. wrap a gunny | i low the colt to examine the stick with
 his nose, then rub it all over his
 body.
 ', With this arrangement the colts
 hind legs may be rubbed without ! placing ones self in danger of his ], heels. If he kicks at it do not hit him. but allow him to exanline il { again. and proceed as before. This sd lesson should continue until the colt Fl will stand being approached from i, either side and rubbed all over. The second day he may be tied up again
 end further gent1ed with sacks
 blankets. and noises until he has nc a fear of them around him, under him
 or upon him.
 Another method of gentling a horse
 lis to tie the halter rope to the tail
 This forces him to go in a circle E When he gives in and stands quietly r he may be harnessedA saddled, mount q ed, accustomed to strange sights ant t sounds, and handled with safety. Thi l, is one of the best aids in use in gain x ing a horses submission.
 e Breaking to Lead.
 e The horse is now ready to lead n Loosen the rope from the post, ste1 r off from the horse, and tell him t, "come,'' following the command witt n a pull on the rope. As soon as tn $ horse advances pet him, then stel II away and repeat He will soon fol l, low without the pull on the rope. II The next day the crupper shoul v be put on at the beginning of tn
 lesson, but should be discarded afte If a. short W ord-out and the halter alon
 used so that the colt will not depen V on the crupperL rope. These lesson 7 should be continued until the col
 leads satisfactorily.
 To break to lead without cruppe
 ropes use a strong halter with a lea rope Step back about feet fror - - the colt, opposite his shoulders, clue - to him, and pull on the rope. Tn q colt will be forced to take a couple C " steps; reward him; cross in front t r. a similar position on the other sid
 and repeat the command with a pull
 Continue the lesson until the colt fol a, lows. Never pull straight ahead o e, the colt, he can outpull. Use dipIc n macy rather than force.
 Breaking the Colt to Drive. After the. colt has been broken rT lead ne may De accustomed, to tn Tn harntss and trained to, rein Tn
 horse should never. be hitched to
 wagon or ridden before he is broke
 to drive in the. harness. He shoul - be trained to answer the ordinal commands. In famiiarizing the co
 with bit and harness the t'bitting hal
 ness,'' which consists of an ope to brfdle with snaffle bit, cheek an n side reins, and, surcing1e with crul ,o per- may be used. This rigging is pl m on the colt leaving the sine ann chec a. TeinS comparatively loose, and he - turned loose in g. small paddock f.
 an hour. The second lesson consis er of teaching the colt the feeling of u D. raips vyt,iob roa1r ba +i1fteued som Is. x.7Tat T1a +1,;-d 737z +I,eT 5,-i1yi,,sy raj, r. - {4 :-9,