Educating Colts.

Northern Advocate, 14 October 1893, Page 1

Educating Colts.

The writer was not long ago looking at a mixed lot of Ontario and westera colts, along with the breeder of the westerners. The latter took occasion to remark on the docile temper of the eastern colts, saying: "Isn't it strange these beasts are so quiet. Ours would kick us to pieces if we handled them the same way. I suppose they have been used to handling all their days." It does not need much horse lore to see that colts accustomed to run nearly wild and get habits in. conformity with that usage must be much less reliable titan colts familiar with all the variety of sights and sounds that come in the way of the oolt reared in sight of a railroad and busy city. But there are elements of value quite as important as those just named. Even in the country one colt may be found that will make a little fuss about an accidental cause of excitement just because it has got accustomed to trust the superior being who at the time controls it.

There are colts that after a year or two's experience on a prairie farm would, ecare and shy at the sight of a granite bowlder on the roadside and make serious mischief out of apparently nothing at all. Too often a savage yell from the driver is the only explanation the poor excited creature gets of the cause of its fright. Another sort of driver would give the colt time to investigate the bugbear for itself , and even if he did not, his calm familiar voice would give confidence and the next thing of the same kind that came in the way would be shorn of its terrors.

It is needless to multiply .examples. Let it be understood in a sentence that a horse trained in such a way that it«an be trusted even when full of spirits, is worth 80 per cent more than an equally good looking beast which may not be quite trustworthy till double the age. To get this kind of sense in the horse it is necessary to have the same kind of sense in his trainer, and one of the first things that will put value into a young horse when he goes to market is to make it fully manifest that he has brains in his head and has been made to understand his life's business.— Northwest Farmer.