The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 15
never had the bit out of his mouth, to which was
attached a long chain ; his mane and tail were never
combed, and no blacksmith could touch his feet, and
when he died, his hoofs had grown to nearly twelve
inches long. Mr. Kime Hunter, of Thorpe Arnold, near
Melton Mowbray, many years ago, owned a horse called
Jingle Pot ;
he was very vicious, yet all his stock turned
out quiet and docile. It is the most intelligent colt that
becomes by mismanagement and bad treatment the
vicious horse, hence the necessity of the utmost caution
on the part of owners of young stock to obtain intel-
ligent men to look after [hem. The training of the colt
is a work that requires great pains, care, and patience,
therefore it should not be entrusted to unskilful hands,
which is too often the case. Many valuable animals are
totally spoiled by the ignorance displayed by their
trainers, who often have no patience and as little judg-
ment ;
therefore they expect the colt to do things which
they have not the sense to teach it, and then ill-use it
because it does not understand, Such men should be
placed in a foreign country among men whose language
they cannot understand to be their taskmasters, who
should punish them every time they make a mistake,
then they perhaps would have more patience with the
poor animal under their care, and not expect it to do
things until it has been taught what it is expected to
do. The careful trainer will commence with the colt at
its mother's side. By carefully handling it, he will teach
it to hold up its legs by lifting gently at the fetlock, and
always using the words " hold up." The colt soon
recognises the sound, and as it finds it is not hurt, it