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.
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