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

In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 29
you have driven it for a few days, teach it by gently pulling
both reins to back, always saying some kind word to it,
and in a short time the horse will understand what is
wanted of it, and will answer the bit instantly. After it
is used to being driven, put long traces on ; the horse
will not mind them if you have used it to the reins
touching its legs when driving it. You now get a log of
wood, an old gatepost will do, drive in two staples about
four feet apart, and attach your traces to the log. The
traces should be quite as long as leading traces for
tandem. You now drive the horse, with the losr
attached, round a field. After the horse will draw it
quietly, take it on the road to let it hear the noise ; it
will not require to be driven with the log more than
three times before you can put it with safety into the
break alongside an old quiet horse. After it has been
driven both sides in double harness, it may be put in
single harness and carefully driven, but should not be
driven far, one mile out and back is quite sufficient at
one time. After the colt has been in harness and
brought back to the stable, its shoulders should be
bathed with strong salt and water to prevent them
getting tender. More horses are made jibbers by the
shoulder being allowed to become tender than anything
else. Having given a brief outline of the colt, I will
now proceed to the management of it in the stable, and
upon this subject the well-being of the horse depends,
as the horse requires light and ventilation in its stable,
so it requires food and attention from the groom. Feeding
is the most important part of stable management,
yet how few use any discretion in this matter, but feed