halter a little, just enough to get his nose into that part which goes around it, then raise it somewhat, and fasten the top buckle, and you will have it all right.  The first time you halter a colt you should stand on the left side, pretty well back to his shoulder only taking hold of that part of the halter that goes around his neck, then with your hands about his neck you can hold his head to you, and raise the halter on it without making him dodge by putting your hands about his nose.  You should have a long rope or strap ready, and as soon as you have the halter on, attach this to it, so that you can let him walk the length of the stable without letting go of the strap, or without making him pull on the halter, for if you only let him feel the weight of your hand on the halter, and give him rope when he runs from you, he will never rear, pull, or throw himself, yet you will be holding him all the time, and doing more towards gentling him, than if you had the power to snub him right up, and hold him to one spot; because, he does not know any thing about his strength, and if you don’t do any thing to make him pull, he will never know that he can.  In a few minutes you can begin to control him with the halter, then shorten the distance between yourself and the horse, by taking up the strap in your hand.

As soon as he will allow you to hold him by a tolerably short strap, and step up to him without flying back, you can begin to give him some idea about leading.  But to do this, do not go before and attempt to pull him after you, but commence by pulling him very quietly to one side.  He has nothing to brace either side of his neck, and will soon yield to a steady, gradual pull of the halter; and as soon as you have pulled him a step or two to one side, step up to him and caress him, and then pull him again, repeating this operation until you can pull him around in every direction, and walk about the stable with him, which you can do in a few minutes, for he will soon think when you have made him step to the right or left a few times, that he is compelled to follow the pull of the halter, not knowing that he has the power to resist your pulling; besides, you have handled him so gently, that he is not afraid of you, and you always caress him when he comes up to you, and he likes that, and would just as leave follow you as not.  And after he has had a few lessons of that kind, if you turn him out in a lot he will come up to you every opportunity he gets.  You should lead him about in the stable some time before you take him out, opening the door, so that he can see out, leading him up to it and back again, and past it.  See that there is nothing on the outside to make him jump, when you take him out, and as you go out with him, try to make him go very slowly, catching hold of the halter close to the jaw, with your left hand, while the right is resting on the top of the neck, holding to his mane.  After you are out with him a little while, you can