TO EDUCATE A COLT TO DRIVE BEFORE BEING HARNESSED.
Place on him the Bonaparte bridle, as shown in engraving, with your cord in the left hand and whip in the right; the cord referred to should be about eighteen feet long; now drive him around a circle to the right about fifteen minutes; then drive him to the left about the same time. You have now educated your colt to drive, and may with safety put on your harness, observing to put the reins through the shaft tugs at his side; then commence driving him carefully for some fifteen minutes on a walk, turning him to the right and left as before directed. Do not use the whip more than sufficient to give him a knowledge of its use. Never drive a colt without blinders. It is better to first hitch him to a sulky or a cart, and do not put on breechings, but allow the cross-bar frequently to come against his heels, so that he may never be afraid, or learn to kick. Never forget, when your colt is obedient, to stop him, and walk up to and caress him.
I am unwilling to pass on to another illustration without more fully impressing on the minds of those who raise or break colts the necessity of kind and careful usage in educating their animals. Never approach your colt quickly. Never, pull the halter or bridle off quickly. Always handle the colt’s ears with great care. Never punish him on the body with anything but a whip, and with it as seldom as possible, as many colts become sulky and show signs of balking when severely whipped. It is better that you should give your colt two or three lessons each day, as heretofore directed, at intervals of say two hours apart: by this means you do not overtax his brain, nor cause him to get weary. In this, as in many other cases, the wisest course is to “make haste slowly.”
HOW TO EDUCATE A COLT TO MOVE HIS BODY WHEN HE MOVES HIS HEAD.
