Drive your steer in a small yard, fenced so that he cannot escape. Then approach him gently, and if he runs, do not run after him, but follow slowly and quietly. Should he again run from you, do not strike him with the whip, or in any way frighten him, he will soon stand and permit you to approach him. Place then around his body a surcingle or strap, near the fore-legs. Take a hame-strap and buckle around the near fore-foot; take a cord or rope, and pass it through under the surcingle, and tie to the strap which is around the foot. The cord should be twenty or thirty feet long, to permit him to run about you in the yard, without your pulling on it. Draw up on the rope to force him to move on three legs; approach him gently, till he will permit you to handle him as you please. Then hold up the near fore-foot by the cord, with your left hand, and holding the whip in your right, pass it over his shoulder, and quietly touch him on the off-side of his head, and at the same time say, “Haw!” continue thus till he moves his head towards you, for which caress him about the head and neck; repeat this till he will “haw,” at the word, towards you. Should he attempt to run from you, pull on the strap, say “Haw,” at the same time touch him on the head with the whip. He will soon learn to stop at the word of command, in, this way, and turn towards you readily. Then take off the rig and turn him loose. Then proceed with the mate in the same way, when you can turn it out, and by this time the other steer will be ready to receive another lesson. Drive it in the same yard, and repeat the lesson with a whip. Quietly touch on the near side of the head, and at the same time say, “Gee!” until he will move around from you. Then caress him, till he will “gee” or “haw” readily. Go through the same lesson with the other. That is all you should try to do with them in four hours’ time. Take both together in the yard; repeat this lesson till both understand what you desire of them. Take one of them near the wall; stand by his side; hit him gently on the head, at the same time say “Back!” till he will step back; then caress him. Repeat, till he will go back readily at the word. Give each the same lesson. This manner of training steers will make them always do your bidding. When convenient, repeat the above lessons, with both together. Then put on the yoke, and let them go. One hour, at first, is long enough to become accustomed to the restraint of the yoke. Repeat this in the yard.

If the steers should ever run from you, which often occurs in an ordinary method of training, buckle a hame-strap around the foot, bring it up through the surcingle back to the sled or wagon, between the steers. Let the man pull on the cord if they attempt to run away; this will pull up their feet; whip them over the head, which will stop them and break up the habit.