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Iwasnowbeginningtogrowhandsome;mycoathadgrownfineandsoft,andwasbrightblack.
Ihadonewhitefootandaprettywhitestaronmyforehead.
Iwasthoughtveryhandsome;mymasterwouldnotsellmetillIwasfouryearsold;hesaidladsoughtnottoworklikemen,andcoltsoughtnottoworklikehorsestilltheywerequitegrownup.
WhenIwasfouryearsoldSquireGordoncametolookatme.
Heexaminedmyeyes,mymouth,andmylegs;hefeltthemalldown;andthenIhadtowalkandtrotandgallopbeforehim.
Heseemedtolikeme,andsaid,"Whenhehasbeenwellbrokeninhewilldoverywell."
Mymastersaidhewouldbreakmeinhimself,asheshouldnotlikemetobefrightenedorhurt,andhelostnotimeaboutit,forthenextdayhebegan.
Everyonemaynotknowwhatbreakinginis,thereforeIwilldescribeit.
Itmeanstoteachahorsetowearasaddleandbridle,andtocarryonhisbackaman,womanorchild;togojustthewaytheywish,andtogoquietly.
Besidesthishehastolearntowearacollar,acrupper,andabreeching,andtostandstillwhiletheyareputon;thentohaveacartorachaisefixedbehind,sothathecannotwalkortrotwithoutdraggingitafterhim;andhemustgofastorslow,justashisdriverwishes.
Hemustneverstartatwhathesees,norspeaktootherhorses,norbite,norkick,norhaveanywillofhisown;butalwaysdohismaster'swill,eventhoughhemaybeverytiredorhungry;buttheworstofallis,whenhisharnessisonceon,hemayneitherjumpforjoynorliedownforweariness.
Soyouseethisbreakinginisagreatthing.
Ihadofcourselongbeenusedtoahalterandaheadstall,andtobeledaboutinthefieldsandlanesquietly,butnowIwastohaveabitandbridle;mymastergavemesomeoatsasusual,andafteragooddealofcoaxinghegotthebitintomymouth,andthebridlefixed,butitwasanastything!
Thosewhohaveneverhadabitintheirmouthscannotthinkhowbaditfeels;agreatpieceofcoldhardsteelasthickasaman'sfingertobepushedintoone'smouth,betweenone'steeth,andoverone'stongue,withtheendscomingoutatthecornerofyourmouth,andheldfasttherebystrapsoveryourhead,underyourthroat,roundyournose,andunderyourchin;sothatnowayintheworldcanyougetridofthenastyhardthing;itisverybad!
yes,verybad!
atleastIthoughtso;butIknewmymotheralwaysworeonewhenshewentout,andallhorsesdidwhentheyweregrownup;andso,whatwiththeniceoats,andwhatwithmymaster'spats,kindwords,andgentleways,Igottowearmybitandbridle.
Nextcamethesaddle,butthatwasnothalfsobad;mymasterputitonmybackverygently,whileoldDanielheldmyhead;hethenmadethegirthsfastundermybody,pattingandtalkingtomeallthetime;thenIhadafewoats,thenalittleleadingabout;andthishedideverydaytillIbegantolookfortheoatsandthesaddle.
Atlength,onemorning,mymastergotonmybackandrodemeroundthemeadowonthesoftgrass.
Itcertainlydidfeelqueer;butImustsayIfeltratherproudtocarrymymaster,andashecontinuedtoridemealittleeverydayIsoonbecameaccustomedtoit.
Thenextunpleasantbusinesswasputtingontheironshoes;thattoowasveryhardatfirst.
Mymasterwentwithmetothesmith'sforge,toseethatIwasnothurtorgotanyfright.
Theblacksmithtookmyfeetinhishand,oneaftertheother,andcutawaysomeofthehoof.
Itdidnotpainme,soIstoodstillonthreelegstillhehaddonethemall.
Thenhetookapieceofirontheshapeofmyfoot,andclappediton,anddrovesomenailsthroughtheshoequiteintomyhoof,sothattheshoewasfirmlyon.
Myfeetfeltverystiffandheavy,butintimeIgotusedtoit.
Andnowhavinggotsofar,mymasterwentontobreakmetoharness;thereweremorenewthingstowear.
First,astiffheavycollarjustonmyneck,andabridlewithgreatside-piecesagainstmyeyescalledblinkers,andblinkersindeedtheywere,forIcouldnotseeoneitherside,butonlystraightinfrontofme;next,therewasasmallsaddlewithanastystiffstrapthatwentrightundermytail;thatwasthecrupper.
Ihatedthecrupper;tohavemylongtaildoubledupandpokedthroughthatstrapwasalmostasbadasthebit.
Ineverfeltmorelikekicking,butofcourseIcouldnotkicksuchagoodmaster,andsointimeIgotusedtoeverything,andcoulddomyworkaswellasmymother.
Imustnotforgettomentiononepartofmytraining,whichIhavealwaysconsideredaverygreatadvantage.
Mymastersentmeforafortnighttoaneighboringfarmer's,whohadameadowwhichwasskirtedononesidebytherailway.
Hereweresomesheepandcows,andIwasturnedinamongthem.
Ishallneverforgetthefirsttrainthatranby.
Iwasfeedingquietlynearthepaleswhichseparatedthemeadowfromtherailway,whenIheardastrangesoundatadistance,andbeforeIknewwhenceitcame—witharushandaclatter,andapuffingoutofsmoke—alongblacktrainofsomethingflewby,andwasgonealmostbeforeIcoulddrawmybreath.
IturnedandgallopedtothefurthersideofthemeadowasfastasIcouldgo,andthereIstoodsnortingwithastonishmentandfear.
Inthecourseofthedaymanyothertrainswentby,somemoreslowly;thesedrewupatthestationcloseby,andsometimesmadeanawfulshriekandgroanbeforetheystopped.
Ithoughtitverydreadful,butthecowswentoneatingveryquietly,andhardlyraisedtheirheadsastheblackfrightfulthingcamepuffingandgrindingpast.
ForthefirstfewdaysIcouldnotfeedinpeace;butasIfoundthatthisterriblecreaturenevercameintothefield,ordidmeanyharm,Ibegantodisregardit,andverysoonIcaredaslittleaboutthepassingofatrainasthecowsandsheepdid.
SincethenIhaveseenmanyhorsesmuchalarmedandrestiveatthesightorsoundofasteamengine;butthankstomygoodmaster'scare,Iamasfearlessatrailwaystationsasinmyownstable.
Nowifanyonewantstobreakinayounghorsewell,thatistheway.
Mymasteroftendrovemeindoubleharnesswithmymother,becauseshewassteadyandcouldteachmehowtogobetterthanastrangehorse.
ShetoldmethebetterIbehavedthebetterIshouldbetreated,andthatitwaswisestalwaystodomybesttopleasemymaster;"but,"saidshe,"thereareagreatmanykindsofmen;therearegoodthoughtfulmenlikeourmaster,thatanyhorsemaybeproudtoserve;andtherearebad,cruelmen,whoneveroughttohaveahorseordogtocalltheirown.
Besides,thereareagreatmanyfoolishmen,vain,ignorant,andcareless,whonevertroublethemselvestothink;thesespoilmorehorsesthanall,justforwantofsense;theydon'tmeanit,buttheydoitforallthat.
Ihopeyouwillfallintogoodhands;butahorseneverknowswhomaybuyhim,orwhomaydrivehim;itisallachanceforus;butstillIsay,doyourbestwhereveritis,andkeepupyourgoodname."
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