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

28 The Management and Treatment of the Horse,
colt, therefore the colt leaves the breaker's hands raw and
half broken, and goes into inexperienced hands, and the
breaker gets the credit of the colt being practically
useless. If they come to grief they conveniently throw
all the blame upon the man who would have broken it
thoroughly and turned it out a useful, docile animal had
he had time allowed him. Although men have written
works out of number upon the breaking and training of
horses from the time of Marcus Paulus (who tells us he
saw in Persia studs of ten thousand white mares all
together, and very fleet) to the present time, yet none of
the theories advanced can always be put in practice, and
although some writers claim to tame or break a horse in
a few hours and others a few days, yet I never saw a horse
that was made perfect in the saddle or harness without
much time, pains, and patience being bestowed upon it.
Any colt-breaker who trains a colt, to make it perfect in
its paces, quiet in harness, stand the use of fire-arms, and
carry accoutrements, loses no time if he does it in a
month. Owners of horses would find themselves much
better off, and have more useful and valuable animals
if they allowed the trainer more time, although it cost a
pound or two more. After the colt has been used to the
saddle and dumb-jockey we proceed to put the harness
upon it. This, as in all other lessons the colt has to
learn, should be done with gentleness, speaking kindly and
always caressing. When you have succeeded in putting
the harness on, lead it about for a day or two, then put
long reins on and proceed to drive it along the road, use
it to pass stone-heaps, clothes upon the hedges, traction
engines, or anything that is likely to make it shy. When