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<h1>THE ARABIAN ART</h1>
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<h2>OF</h2>
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<h1>TAMING AND TRAINING</h1>
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<h1>WILD & VICIOUS HORSES.</h1>
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<h3>BY</h3>
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<h2>T. GILBERT, BRO. RAMSEY & CO.</h2>
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<p class='frontmatter'>PRINTED AND SOLD FOR THE PUBLISHER BY<br/>
HENRY WATKINS<br/>
PRINTER, 225 & 227 WEST FIFTH STREET, CINCINNATI, OHIO <br/>
1856.<br/></p>
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<h2><SPAN name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION" />INTRODUCTION.</h2>
<p>The first domestication of the horse, one of the greatest achievements of
man in the animal kingdom, was not the work of a day; but like all other
great accomplishments, was brought about by a gradual process of
discoveries and experiments. He first subdued the more subordinate
animals, on account of their being easily caught and tamed, and used for
many years the mere drudges, the ox, the ass, and the camel, instead of
the fleet and elegant horse. This noble animal was the last brought into
subjection, owing, perhaps, to man's limited and inaccurate knowledge of
his nature, and his consequent inability to control him. This fact alone
is sufficient evidence of his superiority over all other animals.</p>
<p>Man, in all his inventions and discoveries, has almost invariably
commenced with some simple principle, and gradually developed it from one
degree of perfection to another. The first hint that we have of the use of
electricity was Franklin's drawing it from the clouds with his kite. Now
it is the instrument of conveying thought from mind to mind, with a
rapidity that surpasses time. The great propelling power that drives the
wheel of the engine over our land, and ploughs the ocean with our
steamers, was first discovered escaping from a tea-kettle. And so the
powers of the horse, second only to the powers of steam, became known to
man only as experiments, and investigation revealed them.</p>
<p>The horse, according to the best accounts we can gather, has been the
constant servant of man for nearly four thousand years, ever rewarding him
with his labor and adding to his comfort in proportion to his skill and
manner of using him; but being to those who govern him by brute force, and
know nothing of the beauty and delight to be gained from the cultivation
of his finer nature, a fretful, vicious, and often dangerous servant;
whilst to the Arabs, whose horse is the pride of his life, and who governs
him by the law of kindness, we find him to be quite a different animal.
The manner in which he is treated from a foal gives him an affection and
attachment for his master not known in any other country. The Arab and his
children, the mare and her foal, inhabit the tent together; and although
the foal and the mare's neck are often pillows for the children to roll
upon, no accident ever occurs, the mare being as careful of the children
as of the colt. Such is the mutual attachment between the horse and his
master, that he will leave his companions at his master's call, ever glad
to obey his voice. And when the Arab falls from his horse, and is unable
to rise again, he will stand by him and neigh for assistance; and if he
lays down to sleep, as fatigue sometimes compels him to do in the midst of
the desert, his faithful steed will watch over him, and neigh to arouse
him if man or beast approaches. The Arabs frequently teach their horses
secret signs or signals, which they make use of on urgent occasions to
call forth their utmost exertions. These are more efficient than the
barbarous mode of urging them on with the spur and whip, a forcible
illustration of which will be found in the following anecdote.</p>
<p>A Bedouin, named Jabal, possessed a mare of great celebrity. Hassad Pacha,
then Governor of Damascus, wished to buy the animal, and repeatedly made
the owner the most liberal offers, which Jabal steadily refused. The Pacha
then had recourse to threats, but with no better success. At length, one
Gafar, a Bedouin of another tribe, presented himself to the Pacha, and
asked what he would give the man who should make him master of Jabal's
mare? "I will fill his horse's nose-bag with gold," replied Hassad. The
result of this interview having gone abroad; Jabal became more watchful
than ever, and always secured his mare at night with an iron chain, one
end of which was fastened to her hind fetlock, whilst the other, after
passing through the tent cloth, was attached to a picket driven in the
ground under the felt that served himself and wife for a bed. But one
midnight, Gafar crept silently into the tent, and succeeded in loosening
the chain. Just before starting off with his prize, he caught up Jabal's
lance, and poking him with the butt end, cried out: "I am Gafar! I have
stolen your noble mare, and will give you notice in time." This warning
was in accordance with the customs of the Desert; for to rob a hostile
tribe is considered an honorable exploit, and the man who accomplishes it
is desirous of all the glory that may flow from the deed. Poor Jabal, when
he heard the words, rushed out of the tent and gave the alarm, then
mounting his brother's mare, accompanied by some of his tribe, he pursued
the robber for four hours. The brother's mare was of the same stock as
Jabal's but was not equal to her; nevertheless, he outstripped those of
all the other pursuers, and was even on the point of overtaking the
robber, when Jabal shouted to him: "Pinch her right ear and give her a
touch of the heel." Gafar did so, and away went the mare like lightning,
speedily rendering further pursuit hopeless. The <i>pinch in the ear</i> and
the <i>touch with the heel</i> were the secret signs by which Jabal had been
used to urge his mare to her utmost speed. Jabal's companions were amazed
and indignant at his strange conduct. "O thou father of a jackass!" they
cried, "thou hast helped the thief to rob thee of thy jewel." But he
silenced their upbraidings by saying: "I would rather lose her than sully
her reputation. Would you have me suffer it to be said among the tribes
that another mare had proved fleeter than mine? I have at least this
comfort left me, that I can say she never met with her match."</p>
<p>Different countries have their different modes of horsemanship, but
amongst all of them its first practice was carried on in but a rude and
indifferent way, being hardly a stepping stone to the comfort and delight
gained from the use of the horse at the present day. The polished Greeks
as well as the ruder nations of Northern Africa, for a long while rode
without either saddle or bridle, guiding their horses, with the voice or
the hand, or with a light switch with which they touched the animal on the
side of the face to make him turn in the opposite direction. They urged
him forward by a touch of the heel, and stopped him by catching him by the
muzzle. Bridles and bits were at length introduced, but many centuries
elapsed before anything that could be called a saddle was used. Instead of
these, cloths, single or padded, and skins of wild beasts, often richly
adorned, were placed beneath the rider, but always without stirrups; and
it is given as an extraordinary fact, that the Romans even in the times
when luxury was carried to excess amongst them, never desired so simple an
expedient for assisting the horseman to mount, to lessen his fatigue and
aid him in sitting more securely in his saddle. Ancient sculptors prove
that the horsemen of almost every country were accustomed to mount their
horses from the right side of the animal, that they might the better grasp
the mane, which hangs on that side, a practice universally changed in
modern times. The ancients generally leaped on their horse's backs, though
they sometimes carried a spear, with a loop or projection about two feet
from the bottom which served them as a step. In Greece and Rome, the local
magistracy were bound to see that blocks for mounting (what the Scotch
call <i>loupin</i>-on-stanes) were placed along the road at convenient
distances. The great, however, thought it more dignified to mount their
horses by stepping on the bent backs of their servants or slaves, and many
who could not command such costly help used to carry a light ladder about
with them. The first distinct notice that we have of the use of the saddle
occurs in the edict of the Emperor Theodosias, (A.D. 385) from which we
also learn that it was usual for those who hired post-horses, to provide
their own saddle, and that the saddle should not weigh more than sixty
pounds, a cumbrous contrivance, more like the howdahs placed on the backs
of elephants than the light and elegant saddle of modern times.
Side-saddles for ladies are an invention of comparatively recent date. The
first seen in England was made for Anne of Bohemia, wife of Richard the
Second, and was probably more like a pillion than the side-saddle of the
present day. A pillion is a sort of a very low-backed arm-chair, and was
fastened on the horse's croup, behind the saddle, on which a man rode who
had all the care of managing the horse, while the lady sat at her ease,
supporting herself by grasping a belt which he wore, or passing her arm
around his body, if the <i>gentleman was not too ticklish</i>. But the Mexicans
manage these things with more gallantry than the ancients did. The
"pisanna," or country lady, we are told is often seen mounted before her
"cavalera," who take the more natural position of being seated behind his
fair one, supporting her by throwing his arm around her waist, (a very
appropriate support if the bent position of the arm does not cause an
occasional contraction of the muscles.) These two positions may justly be
considered as the first steps taken by the ladies towards their improved
and elegant mode of riding at the present day.</p>
<p>At an early period when the diversion of hawking was prevalent, they
dressed themselves in the costume of the knight, and rode astride. Horses
were in general use for many centuries before anything like a protection
for the hoof was thought of, and it was introduced, at first, as a matter
of course, on a very simple scale. The first foot defense, it is said,
which was given to the horse, was on the same principle as that worn by
man, which was a sort of sandal, made of leather and tied to the horse's
foot, by means of straps or strings. And finally plates of metal were
fastened to the horse's feet by the same simple means.</p>
<p>Here again, as in the case of the sturrupless saddle, when we reflect that
men should, for nearly a thousand years, have gone on fastening plates of
metal under horses' hoofs by the clumsy means of straps and strings,
without its ever occurring to them to try so simple an improvement as
nails, we have another remarkable demonstration of the slow steps by which
horsemanship has reached its present state.</p>
<p>In the forgoing remarks I have taken the liberty of extracting several
facts from a valuable little work by Rolla Springfield. With this short
comment on the rise and progress of horsemanship, from its commencement up
to the present time, I will proceed to give you the principles of a new
theory of taming wild horses, which is the result of many experiments and
a thorough investigation and trial of the different methods of
horsemanship now in use.</p>
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<h2><SPAN name="THE_THREE_FUNDAMENTAL_PRINCIPLES" id="THE_THREE_FUNDAMENTAL_PRINCIPLES" />THE THREE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MY THEORY</h2>
<h3>Founded on the Leading Characteristics of the Horse.</h3>
<p>FIRST.—That he is so constituted by nature that he will not offer
resistance to any demand made of him which he fully comprehends, if made
in a way consistent with the laws of his nature.</p>
<p>SECOND.—That he has no consciousness of his strength beyond his
experience, and can be handled according to our will, without force.</p>
<p>THIRD.—That we can, in compliance with the laws of his nature by which he
examines all things new to him, take any object, however frightful,
around, over or on him, that does not inflict pain, without causing him to
fear.</p>
<p>To take these assertions in order, I will first give you some of the
reasons why I think he is naturally obedient, and will not offer
resistance to anything fully comprehended. The horse, though possessed of
some faculties superior to man's being deficient in reasoning powers, has
no knowledge of right or wrong, of free will and independent government,
and knows not of any imposition practiced upon him, however unreasonable
these impositions may be. Consequently, he cannot come to any decision
what he should or should not do, because he has not the reasoning
faculties of man to argue the justice of the thing demanded of him. If he
had, taking into consideration his superior strength, he would be useless
to man as a servant. Give him <i>mind</i> in proportion to his strength, and he
will demand of us the green fields for an inheritance, where he will roam
at leisure, denying the right of servitude at all. God has wisely formed
his nature so that it can be operated upon by the knowledge of man
according to the dictates of his will, and he might well be termed an
unconscious, submissive servant. This truth we can see verified in every
day's experience by the abuses practiced upon him. Any one who chooses to
be so cruel, can mount the noble steed and run him 'till he drops with
fatigue, or, as is often the case with more spirited, fall dead with the
rider. If he had the power to reason, would he not vault and pitch his
rider, rather than suffer him to run him to death? Or would he condescend
to carry at all the vain imposter, who, with but equal intellect, was
trying to impose on his equal rights and equally independent spirit? But
happily for us, he has no consciousness of imposition, no thought of
disobedience except by impulse caused by the violation of the law of
nature. Consequently when disobedient it is the fault of man.</p>
<p>Then, we can but come to the conclusion, that if a horse is not taken in a
way at variance with the law of his nature, he will do anything that he
fully comprehends without making any offer of resistance.</p>
<p><i>Second.</i> The fact of the horse being unconscious of the amount of his
strength, can be proven to the satisfaction of any one. For instance, such
remarks as these are common, and perhaps familiar to your recollection.
One person says to another, "If that wild horse there was conscious of the
amount of his strength, his owner could have no business with him in that
vehicle; such light reins and harness, too; if he knew he could snap them
asunder in a minute and be as free as the air we breathe;" and, "that
horse yonder that is pawing and fretting to follow the company that is
fast leaving him, if he knew his strength he would not remain long
fastened to that hitching post so much against his will, by a strap that
would no more resist his powerful weight and strength, than a cotton
thread would bind a strong man." Yet these facts made common by every day
occurrence, are not thought of as anything wonderful. Like the ignorant
man who looks at the different phases of the moon, you look at these
things as he looks at her different changes, without troubling your mind
with the question, "Why are these things so?" What would be the condition
of the world if all our minds lay dormant? If men did not think, reason
and act, our undisturbed, slumbering intellects would not excel the
imbecility of the brute; we would live in chaos, hardly aware of our
existence. And yet with all our activity of mind, we daily pass by
unobserved that which would be wonderful if philosophised and reasoned
upon, and with the same inconsistency wonder at that which a little
consideration, reason and philosophy would be but a simple affair.</p>
<p><i>Thirdly.</i> He will allow any object, however frightful in appearance, to
come around, over or on him, that does not inflict pain.</p>
<p>We know from a natural course of reasoning, that there has never been an
effected without a cause, and we infer from this, that there can be no
action, either in animate or inanimate matter, without there first being
some cause to produce it. And from this self-evident fact we know that
there is some cause for every impulse or movement of either mind or
matter, and that this law governs every action or movement of the animal
kingdom. Then, according to this theory, there must be some cause before
fear can exist; and, if fear exists from the effect of imagination, and
not from the infliction of real pain, it can be removed by complying with
those laws of nature by which the horse examines an object, and determines
upon its innocence or harm.</p>
<p>A log or stump by the road-side may be, in the imagination of the horse,
some great beast about to pounce upon him; but after you take him up to it
and let him stand by it a little while, and touch it with his nose, and go
through his process of examination, he will not care any thing more about
it. And the same principle and process will have the same effect with any
other object, however frightful in appearance, in which there is no harm.
Take a boy that has been frightened by a false-face or any other object
that he could not comprehend at once; but let him take that face or object
in his hands and examine it, and he will not care anything more about it.
This is a demonstration of the same principle.</p>
<p>With this introduction to the principles of my theory, I shall next
attempt to teach you how to put it into practice, and whatever
instructions may follow, you can rely on as having been proven practical
by my own experiments. And knowing from experience just what obstacles I
have met with in handling bad horses, I shall try to anticipate them for
you, and assist you in surmounting them, by commencing with the first
steps taken with the colt, and accompanying you through the whole task of
breaking.</p>
<h4>How to Succeed in Getting the Colt from Pasture.</h4>
<p>Go to the pasture and walk around the whole herd quietly, and at such a
distance as not to cause them to scare and run. Then approach them very
slowly, and if they stick up their heads and seem to be frightened, hold
on until they become quiet, so as not to make them run before you are
close enough to drive them in the direction you want to go. And when you
begin to drive, do not flourish your arms or hollow, but gently follow
them off leaving the direction free for them that you wish them to take.
Thus taking advantage of their ignorance, you will be able to get them in
the pound as easily as the hunter drives the quails into his net. For, if
they have always run into the pasture uncared for, (as many horses do in
prairie countries and on large plantations,) there is no reason why they
should not be as wild as the sportsman's birds and require the same gentle
treatment, if you want to get them without trouble; for the horse in his
natural state is as wild as any of the undomesticated animals, though more
easily tamed than most of them.</p>
<h4>How to Stable a Colt without Trouble.</h4>
<p>The next step will be, to get the horse into a stable or shed. This should
be done as quietly as possible, so as not to excite any suspicion in the
horse of any danger befalling him. The best way to do this, is to lead a
gentle horse into the stable first and hitch him, then quietly walk around
the colt and let him go in of his own accord. It is almost impossible to
get men, who have never practiced on this principle, to go slow and
considerate enough about it. They do not know that in handling a wild
horse, above all other things, is that good old adage true, that "haste
makes waste;" that is, waste of time, for the gain of trouble and
perplexity.</p>
<p>One wrong move may frighten your horse, and make him think it is necessary
to escape at all hazards for the safety of his life, and thus make two
hours work of a ten minutes job; and this would be all your own fault, and
entirely unnecessary; for he will not run unless you run after him, and
that would not be good policy, unless you knew that you could outrun him;
or you will have to let him stop of his own accord after all. But he will
not try to break away, unless you attempt to force him into measures. If
he does not see the way at once, and is a little fretful about going in,
do not undertake to drive him, but give him a little less room outside, by
gently closing in around him. Do not raise your arms, but let them hang at
your side; for you might as well raise a club. The horse has never studied
anatomy, and does not know but they will unhinge themselves and fly at
him. It he attempts to turn back, walk before him, but do not run; and if
he gets past you, encircle him again in the same quiet manner, and he will
soon find that you are not going to hurt him; and you can soon walk so
close around him that he will go into the stable for more room, and to get
farther from you. As soon as he is in, remove the quiet horse and shut the
door. This will be his first notion of confinement—not knowing how to get
in such a place, nor how to get out of it. That he may take it as quietly
as possible, see that the shed is entirely free from dogs, chickens, or
anything that would annoy him; then give him a few ears of corn, and let
him remain alone fifteen or twenty minutes, until he has examined his
apartment, and has become reconciled to his confinement.</p>
<h4>Time to Reflect.</h4>
<p>And now, while your horse is eating those few ears of corn, is the proper
time to see that your halter is ready and all right, and to reflect on the
best mode of operations; for, in the horsebreaking, it is highly
important that you should be governed by some system. And you should know
before you attempt to do anything, just what you are going to do, and how
you are going to do it. And, if you are experienced in the art of taming
wild horses, you ought to be able to tell within a few minutes the length
of time it would take you to halter the colt, and learn him to lead.</p>
<h4>The kind of Halter.</h4>
<p>Always use a leather halter, and be sure to have it made so that it will
not draw tight around his nose if he pulls on it. It should be of the
right size to fit his head easily and nicely; so that the nose band will
not be too tight or too low. Never put a rope halter on an unbroken colt
under any circumstances whatever. They have caused more horses to hurt or
kill themselves, than would pay for twice the cost of all the leather
halters that have ever been needed for the purpose of haltering colts. It
is almost impossible to break a colt that is very wild with a rope halter,
without having him pull, rear and throw himself, and thus endanger his
life; and I will tell you why. It is just as natural for a horse to try to
get his head out of anything that hurts it, or feels unpleasant, as it
would be for you to try to get your hand out of a fire. The cords of the
rope are hard and cutting; this makes him raise his head and draw on it,
and as soon as he pulls, the slip noose (the way rope halters are always
made) tightens, and pinches his nose, and then he will struggle for life,
until, perchance, he throws himself; and who would have his horse throw
himself, and run the risk of breaking his neck, rather than pay the price
of a leather halter. But this is not the worst. A horse that has once
pulled on his halter, can never be as well broke as one that has never
pulled at all.</p>
<h4>Remarks on the Horse.</h4>
<p>But before we attempt to do anything more with the colt, I will give you
some of the characteristics of his nature, that you may better understand
his motions. Every one that has ever paid any attention to the horse, has
noticed his natural inclination to smell of everything which to him looks
new and frightful. This is their strange mode of examining everything.
And, when they are frightened at anything, though they look at it sharply,
they seem to have no confidence in this optical examination alone, but
must touch it with the nose before they are entirely satisfied; and, as
soon as this is done, all is right.</p>
<h4>Experiments with the Robe.</h4>
<p>If you want to satisfy yourself of this characteristic of the horse, and
learn something of importance concerning the peculiarities of his nature,
etc., turn him into the barn-yard, or a large stable will do, and then
gather up something that you know will frighten him; a red blanket,
buffalo robe, or something of that kind. Hold it up so that he can see it;
he will stick up his head and snort. Then throw it down somewhere in the
center of the lot or barn, and walk off to one side. Watch his motions,
and study his nature. If he is frightened at the object, he will not rest
until he has touched it with his nose. You will see him begin to walk
around the robe and snort, all the time getting a little closer, as if
drawn up by some magic spell, until he finally gets within reach of it. He
will then very cautiously stretch out his neck as far as he can reach,
merely touching it with his nose, as though he thought it was ready to fly
at him. But after he has repeated these touches a few times, for the first
(though he has been looking at it all the time) he seems to have an idea
what it is. But now he has found, by the sense of feeling, that it is
nothing that will do him any harm, and he is ready to play with it. And if
you watch him closely, you will see him take hold of it with his teeth,
and raise it up and pull at it. And in a few minutes you can see that he
has not that same wild look about his eye, but stands like a horse biting
at some familiar stump.</p>
<p>Yet the horse is never well satisfied when he is about anything that has
frightened him, as when he is standing with his nose to it. And, in nine
cases out of ten, you will see some of that same wild look about him
again, as he turns to walk from it. And you will, probably, see him
looking back very suspiciously as he walks away, as though he thought it
might come after him yet. And, in all probability, he will have to go back
and make another examination before he is satisfied. But he will
familiarize himself with it, and, if he should run in that lot a few days,
the robe that frightened him so much at first, will be no more to him than
a familiar stump.</p>
<h4>Suppositions on the Sense of Smelling.</h4>
<p>We might very naturally suppose, from the fact of the horse's applying his
nose to every thing new to him, that he always does so for the purpose of
smelling these objects. But I believe that it is as much or more for the
purpose of feeling; and that he makes use of his nose or muzzle, (as it is
sometimes called.) as we would of our hands; because it is the only organ
by which he can touch or feel anything with much susceptibility.</p>
<p>I believe that he invariably makes use of the four senses, seeing,
hearing, smelling and feeling, in all of his examinations, of which the
sense of feeling is, perhaps, the most important. And I think that in the
experiment with the robe, his gradual approach and final touch with his
nose was as much for the purpose of feeling, as anything else, his sense
of smell being so keen, that it would not be necessary for him to touch
his nose against anything in order to get the proper scent; for it is said
that a horse can smell a man the distance of a mile. And, if the scent of
the robe was all that was necessary, he could get that several rods off.
But, we know from experience, that if a horse sees and smells a robe a
short distance from him, he is very much frightened, (unless he is used to
it,) until he touches or feels it with his nose; which is a positive proof
that feeling is the controlling sense in this case.</p>
<h4>Prevailing Opinion of Horsemen.</h4>
<p>It is a prevailing opinion among horsemen generally, that the sense of
smell is the governing sense of the horse. And Faucher, as well as others,
have, with that view, got up receipts of strong smelling oils, etc., to
tame the horse, sometimes using the chesnut of his leg, which they dry,
grind into powder and blow into his nostrils. Sometimes using the oil of
rhodium, organnnum, etc.; that are noted for their strong smell. And
sometimes they scent the hands with the sweat from under the arm, or blow
their breath into his nostrils, etc., etc. All of which, as far as the
scent goes have no effect whatever in gentling the horse, or conveying any
idea to his mind; though the works that accompany these efforts—handling
him, touching him about the nose and head, and patting him, as they direct
you should, after administering the articles, may have a very great
effect, which they mistake to be the effect of the ingredients used. And
Faucher, in his work entitled, "The Arabian art of taming Horses," page
17, tells us how to accustom a horse to a robe, by administering certain
articles to his nose; and goes on to say, that these articles must first
be applied to the horse's nose before you attempt to break him, in order
to operate successfully.</p>
<p>Now, reader, can you, or any one else, give one single reason how scent
can convey any idea to the horse's mind of what we want him to do? If not,
then of course strong scents of any kind are of no account in taming the
unbroken horse. For every thing that we get him to do of his own accord,
without force, must be accomplished by some means of conveying our ideas
to his mind. I say to my horse "go 'long" and he goes; "ho!" and he stops:
because these two words, of which he has learned the meaning by the tap
of the whip, and the pull of the rein that first accompanied them, convey
the two ideas to his mind of go and stop.</p>
<p>Faucher, or no one else, can ever learn the horse a single thing by the
means of a scent alone.</p>
<p>How long do you suppose a horse would have to stand and smell of a bottle
of oil before he would learn to bend his knee and make a bow at your
bidding, "go yonder and bring your hat," or "come here and lay down?" Thus
you see the absurdity of trying to break or tame the horse by the means of
receipts for articles to smell of, or medicine to give him, of any kind
whatever.</p>
<p>The only science that has ever existed in the world, relative to the
breaking of horses, that has been of any account, is that true method
which takes them in their native state, and improves their intelligence.</p>
<h4>Powel's System of Approaching the Colt.</h4>
<p>But, before we go further, I will give you Willis J. Powel's system of
approaching a wild colt, as given by him in a work published in Europe,
about the year 1811, on the "Art of taming wild horses." He says, "A horse
is gentled by my secret, in from two to sixteen hours." The time I have
most commonly employed has been from four to six hours. He goes on to say:
"Cause your horse to be put in a small yard, stable, or room. If in a
stable or room, it ought to be large in order to give him some exercise
with the halter before you lead him out. If the horse belong to that class
which appears only to fear man, you must introduce yourself gently into
the stable, room, or yard, where the horse is. He will naturally run from
you, and frequently turn his head from you; but you must walk about
extremely slow and softly, so that he can see you whenever he turns his
head towards you, which he never fails to do in a short time, say in a
quarter of an hour. I never knew one to be much longer without turning
towards me.</p>
<p>"At the very moment he turns his head, hold out your left hand towards
him, and stand perfectly still, keeping your eyes upon the horse, watching
his motions if he makes any. If the horse does not stir for ten or fifteen
minutes, advance as slowly as possible, and without making the least
noise, always holding out your left hand, without any other ingredient in
it than that what nature put in it." He says, "I have made use of certain,
ingredients before people, such as the sweat under my arm, etc., to
disguise the real secret, and many believed that the docility to which
the horse arrived in so short a time, was owing to these ingredients; but
you see from this explanation that they were of no use whatever. The
implicit faith placed in these ingredients, though innocent of themselves,
becomes 'faith without works.' And thus men remained always in doubt
concerning this secret. If the horse makes the least motion when you
advance toward him, stop, and remain perfectly still until he is quiet.
Remain a few moments in this condition, and then advance again in the same
slow and imperceptible manner. Take notice: if the horse stirs, stop
without changing your position. It is very uncommon for the horse to stir
more than once after you begin to advance, yet there are exceptions. He
generally keeps his eyes steadfast on you, until you get near enough to
touch him on the forehead. When you are thus near to him, raise slowly,
and by degrees, your hand, and let it come in contact with that part just
above the nostrils as lightly as possible. If the horse flinches, (as many
will,) repeat with great rapidity these light strokes upon the forehead,
going a little further up towards his ears by degrees, and descending with
the same rapidity until he will let you handle his forehead all over. Now
let the strokes be repeated with more force over all his forehead,
descending by lighter strokes to each side of his head, until you can
handle that part with equal facility. Then touch in the same light manner,
making your hands and fingers play around the lower part of the horse's
ears, coming down now and then to his forehead, which may be looked upon
as the helm that governs all the rest.</p>
<p>"Having succeeded in handling his ears, advance towards the neck, with the
same precautions, and in the same manner; observing always to augment the
force of the strokes whenever the horse will permit it. Perform the same
on both sides of the neck, until he lets you take it in your arms without
flinching.</p>
<p>"Proceed in the same progressive manner to the sides, and then to the back
of the horse. Every time the horse shows any nervousness return
immediately to the forehead as the true standard, patting him with your
hands, and from thence rapidly to where you had already arrived, always
gaining ground a considerable distance farther on every time this happens.
The head, ears, neck and body being thus gentled, proceed from the back to
the root of the tail.</p>
<p>"This must be managed with dexterity, as a horse is never to be depended
on that is skittish about the tail. Let your hand fall lightly and rapidly
on that part next to the body a minute or two, and then you will begin to
give it a slight pull upwards every quarter of a minute. At the same time
you continue this handling of him, augment the force of the strokes, as
well as the raising of the tail, until you can raise it and handle it with
the greatest ease, which commonly happens in a quarter of an hour in most
horses; in others almost immediately, and in some much longer. It now
remains to handle all his legs. From the tail come back again to the head,
handle it well, as likewise the ears, breast, neck, etc., speaking now and
then to the horse. Begin by degrees to descend to the legs, always
ascending and descending, gaining ground every time you descend until you
get to his feet.</p>
<p>"Talk to the horse in Latin, Greek, French, English, or Spanish, or in any
other language you please; but let him hear the sound of your voice, which
at the beginning of the operation is not quite so necessary, but which I
have always done in making him lift up his feet. Hold up your foot—'Live
la pied'—'Alza el pie'—'Aron ton poda,' etc., at the same time lift his
foot with your hand. He soon becomes familiar with the sounds, and will
hold his foot up at command. Then proceed to the hind feet and go on in
the same manner, and in a short time the horse will let you lift them and
even take them up in your arms.</p>
<p>"All this operation is no magnetism, no galvanism; it is merely taking
away the fear a horse generally has of a man, and familiarizing the animal
with his master; as the horse doubtless experiences a certain pleasure
from this handling, he will soon become gentle under it, and show a very
marked attachment to his keeper."</p>
<h4>Remarks on Powel's Treatment how to govern Horses of Any Kind.</h4>
<p>These instructions are very good, but not quite sufficient for horses of
all kinds, and for haltering and leading the colt; but I have inserted it
here, because it gives some of the true philosophy of approaching the
horse, and of establishing confidence between man and horse. He speaks
only of the kind that fear man.</p>
<p>To those who understand the philosophy of horsemanship, these are the
easiest trained; for when we have a horse that is wild and lively, we can
train him to our will in a very short time; for they are generally quick
to learn, and always ready to obey. But there is another kind that are of
a stubborn or vicious disposition, and, although they are not wild, and do
not require taming, in the sense it is generally understood, they are just
as ignorant as a wild horse, if not more so, and need to be learned just
as much; and in order to have them obey quickly, it is very necessary that
they should be made to fear their masters; for, in order to obtain perfect
obedience from any horse, we must first have him fear us, for our motto is
<i>fear, love, and obey</i>; and we must have the fulfilment of the first two
before we can expect the latter, and it is by our philosophy of creating
fear, love and confidence, that we govern to our will every kind of a
horse whatever.</p>
<p>Then, in order to take horses as we find them, or all kinds, and to train
them to our likings, we will always take with us, when we go into a stable
to train a colt, a long switch whip, (whale-bone buggy whips is the best,)
with a good silk cracker, so as to cut keen and make a sharp report,
which, if handled with dexterity, and rightly applied, accompanied with a
sharp, fierce word, will be sufficient to enliven the spirits of any
horse. With this whip in your right hand, with the lash pointing backward,
enter the stable alone. It is a great disadvantage in training a horse, to
have any one in the stable with you; you should be entirely alone, so as
not to have nothing but yourself to attract his attention. If he is wild
you will soon see him in the opposite side of the stable from you; and now
is the time to use a little judgement. I would not want for myself, more
than half or three-quarters of an hour to handle any kind of a colt, and
have him running about in the stable after me; though I would advise a new
beginner to take more time, and not to be in too much of a hurry. If you
have but one colt to gentle, and are not particular about the length of
time you spend, and have not had any experience in handling colts, I would
advise you to take Mr. Powel's method at first, till you gentle him, which
he says takes from two to six hours. But, as I want to accomplish the
same, and what is much more, learn the horse to lead in less than one
hour, I shall give you a much quicker process of accomplishing the same
end. Accordingly, when you have entered the stable, stand still and let
your horse look at you a minute or two, and as soon as he is settled in
one place, approach him slowly, with both arms stationary, your right
hanging by your side, holding the whip as directed, and the left bent at
the elbow, with your hand projecting. As you approach him, go not too much
towards his head or croop, so as not to make him move either forward or
backward, thus keeping your horse stationary, if he does move a little
forward or backward, step a little to the right or left very cautiously;
this will keep him in one place, as you get very near him, draw a little
to his shoulder, and stop a few seconds. If you are in his reach he will
turn his head and smell at your hand, not that he has any preference for
your hand, but because that it is projecting, and is the nearest portion
of your body to the horse. This all colts will do, and they will smell of
your naked hand just as quick as they will of any thing that you can put
in it, and with just as good an effect, however much some men have
preached the doctrine of taming horses by giving them the scent articles
from the hand. I have already proved that to be a mistake. As soon as he
touches his nose to your hand, caress him as before directed, always using
a very light, soft hand, merely touching the horse, all ways rubbing the
way the hair lays, so that your hand will pass along as smoothly as
possible. As you stand by his side you may find it more convenient to rub
his neck or the side of his head, which will answer the same purpose, as
rubbing his forehead. Favor every inclination of the horse to smell or
touch you with his nose. Always follow each touch or communication of this
kind with the most tender and affectionate caresses, accompanied with a
kind look, and pleasant word of some sort, such as: Ho! my little boy, ho!
my little boy, pretty boy, nice lady! or something of that kind,
constantly repeating the same words, with the same kind, steady tone of
voice; for the horse soon learns to read the expression of the face and
voice, and will know as well when fear, love or anger, prevails as you
know your own feelings; two of which, <i>fear and anger</i>, a good horseman
<i>should never feel</i>.</p>
<h4>How to Proceed if your Horse is of a Stubborn Disposition.</h4>
<p>If your horse, instead of being wild, seems to be of a stubborn or
<i>mulish</i> disposition; if he lays back his ears as you approach him, or
turns his heels to kick you, he has not that regard or fear of man that he
should have, to enable you to handle him quickly and easily; and it might
be well to give him a few sharp cuts with the whip, about the legs, pretty
close to the body. It will crack keen as it plies around his legs, and the
crack of the whip will affect him as much as the stroke; besides one sharp
cut about his legs will affect him more than two or three over his back,
the skin on the inner part of his legs or about his flank being thinner,
more tender than on his back. But do not whip him much, just enough to
scare him, it is not because we want to hurt the horse that we whip him,
we only do it to scare that bad disposition out of him. But whatever you
do, do quickly, sharply and with a good deal of fire, but always without
anger. If you are going to scare him at all you must do it at once. Never
go into a pitch battle with your horse, and whip him until he is mad and
will fight you; you had better not touch him at all, for you will
establish, instead of fear and regard, feelings of resentment, hatred and
ill-will. It will do him no good but an injury, to strike a blow, unless
you can scare him; but if you succeed in scaring him, you can whip him
without making him mad; for fear and anger never exist together in the
horse, and as soon as one is visible, you will find that the other has
disappeared. As soon as you have frightened him so that he will stand up
straight and pay some attention to you, approach him again and caress him
a good deal more than you whipped him, then you will excite the two
controlling passions of his nature, love and fear, and then he will fear
and love you too, and as soon as he learns what to do will quickly obey.</p>
<h4>How to Halter and Lead the Colt.</h4>
<p>As soon as you have gentled the colt a little, take the halter in your
left hand and approach him as before, and on the same side that you have
gentled him. If he is very timid about your approaching closely to him,
you can get up to him quicker by making the whip a part of your arm, and
reaching out very gently with the but end of it, rubbing him lightly on
the neck, all the time getting a little closer, shortening the whip by
taking it up in your hand, until you finally get close enough to put your
hands on him. If he is inclined to hold his head from you, put the end of
the halter strap around his neck, drop your whip, and draw very gently; he
will let his neck give, and you can pull his head to you. Then take hold
of that part of the halter, which buckles over the top of his head, and
pass the long side, or that part which goes into the buckle, under his
neck, grasping it on the opposite side with your right hand, letting the
first strap loose—the latter will be sufficient to hold his head to you.
Lower the 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.</p>
<p>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 lead him
about as you please. Don't let any second person come up to you when you
first take him out; a stranger taking hold of the halter would frighten
him, and make him run. There should not even be any one standing near him
to attract his attention, or scare him. If you are alone, and manage him
right, it will not require any more force to lead or hold him than it
would to manage a broke horse.</p>
<h4>How to lead a Colt by the side of a broken Horse.</h4>
<p>If you should want to lead your colt by the side of another horse, as is
often the case, I would advise you to take your horse into the stable,
attach a second strap to the colt's halter, and lead your horse up
alongside of him. Then get on the broke horse and take one strap around
his breast, under his martingale, (if he has any on,) holding it in your
left hand. This will prevent the colt from getting back too far; besides,
you will have more power to hold him, with the strap pulling against the
horse's breast. The other strap take up in your right hand to prevent him
from running ahead; then turn him about a few times in the stable, and if
the door is wide enough, ride out with him in that position; if not, take
the broke horse out first, and stand his breast up against the door, then
lead the colt to the same spot, and take the straps as before directed,
one on each side of his neck, then let some one start the colt out, and as
he comes out, turn your horse to the left, and you will have them all
right. This is the best way to lead a colt; you can manage any kind of a
colt in this way, without any trouble; for, if he tries to run ahead, or
pull back, the two straps will bring the horses facing each other, so that
you can easily follow up his movements without doing much holding, and as
soon as he stops running backward you are right with him, and all ready to
go ahead. And if he gets stubborn and does not want to go, you can remove
all his stubbornness by riding your horse against his neck, thus
compelling him to turn to the right, and as soon as you have turned him
about a few times, he will be willing to go along. The next thing, after
you are through leading him, will be to take him into a stable, and hitch
him in such a way as not to have him pull on the halter, and as they are
often troublesome to get into a stable the first few times, I will give
you some instructions about getting him in.</p>
<h4>How to lead a Colt into the Stable and hitch Him without having Him pull
on the Halter.</h4>
<p>You should lead the broke horse into the stable first, and get the colt,
if you can, to follow in after him. If he refuses to go, step up to him,
taking a little stick or switch in your right hand; then take hold of the
halter close to his head with your left hand, at the same time reaching
over his back with your right arm so that you can tap him on the opposite
side with your switch; bring him up facing the door, tap him lightly with
your switch, reaching as far back with it as you can. This tapping, by
being pretty well back, and on the opposite side, will drive him ahead,
and keep him close to you, then by giving him the right direction with
your left hand you can walk into the stable with him. I have walked colts
into the stable this way, in less than a minute, after men had worked at
them half an hour, trying to pull them in. If you cannot walk him it at
once this way, turn him about and walk him round in every direction, until
you can get him up to the door without pulling at him. Then let him stand
a few minutes, keeping his head in the right direction with the halter,
and he will walk in, in less than ten minutes. Never attempt to pull the
colt into the stable; that would make him think at once that it was a
dangerous place, and if he was not afraid of it before, he would be then.
Besides we don't want him to know anything about pulling on the halter.
Colts are often hurt, and sometimes killed, by trying to force them into
the stable; and those who attempt to do it in that way, go into an up-hill
business, when a plain smooth road is before them.</p>
<p>If you want to hitch your colt, put him in a tolerably wide stall which
should not be too long, and should be connected by a bar or something of
that kind to the partition behind it; so that, after the colt is in he
cannot get far enough back to take a straight, backward pull on the
halter; then by hitching him in the center of the stall, it would be
impossible for him to pull on the halter, the partition behind preventing
him from going back, and the halter in the center checking him every time
he turns to the left or right. In a state of this kind you can break every
horse to stand hitched by a light strap, any where, without his ever
knowing any thing about pulling. But if you have broke your horse to lead,
and have learned him the use of the halter (which you should always do
before you hitch him to any thing), you can hitch him in any kind of a
stall, and give him something to eat to keep him up to his place for a few
minutes at first and there is not one colt in fifty that will pull on his
halter.</p>
<h4>The kind of Bit and how to accustom a Horse to it.</h4>
<p>You should use a large, smooth, snaffle bit, so as not to hurt his mouth,
with a bar to each side, to prevent the bit from pulling through either
way. This you should attach to the head-stall of your bridle and put it on
your colt without any reins to it, and let him run loose in a large stable
or shed, some time, until he becomes a little used to the bit, and will
bear it without trying to get it out of his mouth. It would be well, if
convenient, to repeat this several times before you do anything more with
the colt; as soon as he will bear the bit, attach a single rein to it,
without any martingale. You should also have a halter on your colt, or a
bridle made after the fashion of a halter, with a strap to it, so that you
can hold or lead him about without pulling on the bit much. He is now
ready for the saddle.</p>
<h4>How to Saddle a Colt.</h4>
<p>Any one man, who has this theory, can put a saddle on the wildest colt
that ever grew, without any help, and without scaring him. The first thing
will be to tie each stirrup strap into a loose knot to make them short,
and prevent the stirrups from flying about and hitting him. Then double up
the skirts and take the saddle under your right arm, so as not to frighten
him with it as you approach. When you get to him, rub him gently a few
times with your hand, and then raise the saddle very slowly until he can
see it, and smell, and feel it with his nose. Then let the skirts loose,
and rub it very gently against his neck the way the hair lays, letting him
hear the rattle of the skirts as he feels them against him; each time
getting a little farther backward, and finally slip it over his shoulders
on his back. Shake it a little with your hand, and in less than five
minutes you can rattle it about over his back as much as you please, and
pull it off and throw it on again, without his paying much attention to
it.</p>
<p>As soon as you have accustomed him to the saddle, fasten the girth. Be
careful how you do this. It often frightens a Colt when he feels the girth
binding him, and making the saddle fit tight on his back. You should bring
up the girth very gently, and not draw it too tight at first, just enough
to hold the saddle on. Move him a little, and then girth it as tight as
you choose, and he will not mind it.</p>
<p>You should see that the pad of your saddle is all right before you put it
on, and that there is nothing to make it hurt him, or feel unpleasant to
his back. It should not have any loose straps on the back part of it to
flap about and scare him. After you have saddled him in this way, take a
switch in your right hand to tap him up with, and walk about in the stable
a few times with your right arm over the saddle, taking hold of the reins
on each side of his neck, with your right and left hands. Thus marching
him about in the stable until you learn him the use of the bridle, and can
turn him about in any direction, and stop him by a gentle pull of the
rein. Always caress him, and loose the reins a little every time you stop
him.</p>
<p>You should always be alone, and have your colt in some tight stable or
shed, the first time you ride him; the loft should be high so that you can
sit on his back without endangering your head. You can learn him more in
two hours time in a stable of this kind, than you could in two weeks in
the common way of breaking colts, out in an open place. It you follow my
course of treatment, you need not run any risk, or have any trouble in
riding the worst kind of a horse. You take him a step at a time, until you
get up a mutual confidence and trust between yourself and horse. First
learn him to lead and stand hitched, next acquaint him with the saddle,
and the use of the bit; and then all that remains, is to get on him
without scaring him, and you can ride him as well as any horse.</p>
<h4>How to Mount the Colt.</h4>
<p>First gentle him well on both sides, about the saddle, and all over,
until he will stand still without holding, and is not afraid to see you
any where about him.</p>
<p>As soon as you have him thus gentled, get a small block, about one foot or
eighteen inches in height, and set it down by the side of him, about where
you want to stand to mount him; step up on this, raising yourself very
gently; horses notice every change of position very closely, and if you
were to step up suddenly on the block, it would be very apt to scare him;
but by raising yourself gradually on it, he will see you, without being
frightened, in a position very near the same as when you are on his back.</p>
<p>As soon as he will bear this without alarm, untie the stirrup strap next
to you, and put your left foot into the stirrup, and stand square over it,
holding your knee against the horse, and your toe out, so as to touch him
under the shoulder with the toe of your boot. Place your right hand on the
front of the saddle and on the opposite side of you. Taking hold of a
portion of the mane and the reins as they hang loosely over his neck with
your left hand; then gradually bear your weight on the stirrup, and on
your right hand, until the horse feels your whole weight on the saddle;
repeat this several times, each time raising yourself a little higher from
the block, until he will allow you to raise your leg over his croop, and
place yourself in the saddle.</p>
<p>There are three great advantages in having a block to mount from. First, a
sudden change of position is very apt to frighten a young horse that has
never been handled; he will allow you to walk up to him, and stand by his
side without scaring at you, because you have gentled him to that
position, but if you get down on your hands and knees and crawl towards
him, he will be very much frightened, and upon the same principle, he
would frighten at your new position if you had the power to hold yourself
over his back without touching him. Then the first great advantage of the
block is to gradually gentle him to that new position in which he will see
you when you ride him.</p>
<p>Secondly, by the process of leaning your weight in the stirrups, and on
your hand, you can gradually accustom him to your weight, so as not to
frighten him by having him feel it all at once. And in the third place the
block elevates you so that you will not have to make a spring in order to
get on to the horse's back, but from it you can gradually raise yourself
into the saddle. When you take these precautions, there is no horse so
wild, but what you can mount him without making him jump. I have tried it
on the worst horses that could be found, and have never failed in any
case. When mounting, your horse should always stand without being held. A
horse is never well broke when he has to be held with a tight rein while
mounting; and a colt is never so safe to mount, as when you see that
assurance of confidence, and absence of fear, which causes him to stand
without holding.</p>
<h4>How to Ride the Colt.</h4>
<p>When you want him to start do not touch him on the side with your heel or
do anything to frighten him and make him jump. But speak to him kindly,
and if he does not start pull him a little to the left until he starts,
and then let him walk off slowly with the reins loose. Walk him around in
the stable a few times until he gets used to the bit, and you can turn him
about in every direction and stop him as you please. It would be well to
get on and off a good many times until he gets perfectly used to it before
you take him out of the stable.</p>
<p>After you have trained him in this way, which should not take you more
than one or two hours, you can ride him any where you choose without ever
having him jump or make any effort to throw you.</p>
<p>When you first take him out of the stable be very gentle with him, as he
will feel a little more at liberty to jump or run, and be a little easier
frightened than he was while in the stable. But after handling him so much
in the stable he will be pretty well broke, and you will be able to manage
him without trouble or danger.</p>
<p>When you first mount him take a little the shortest hold on the left rein,
so that if any thing frightens him you can prevent him jumping by pulling
his head around to you. This operation of pulling a horse's head around
against his side will prevent any horse from jumping ahead, rearing up, or
running away. If he is stubborn and will not go you can make him move by
pulling his head around to one side, when whipping would have no effect.
And turning him around a few times will make him dizzy, and then by
letting him have his head straight, and giving him a little touch with the
whip, he will go along without any trouble.</p>
<p>Never use martingales on a colt when you first ride him; every movement of
the hand should go right to the bit in the direction in which it is
applied to the reins, without a martingale to change the direct of the
force applied. You can guide the colt much better without them, and learn
him the use of the bit in much less time. Besides, martingales would
prevent you from pulling his head around if he should try to jump.</p>
<p>After your colt has been rode until he is gentle and well accustomed to
the bit, you may find it an advantage if he carries his head too high, or
his nose too far out, to put martingales on him.</p>
<p>You should be careful not to ride your colt so far at first as to heat,
worry or tire him. Get off as soon as you see he is a little fatigued;
gentle him and let him rest, this will make him kind to you and prevent
him from getting stubborn or mad.</p>
<h4>The proper way to Bit a Colt.</h4>
<p>Farmers often put bitting harness on a colt the first thing they do to
him, buckling up the bitting as tight as they can draw it to make him
carry his head high, and then turn him out in a lot to run a half day at a
time. This is one of the worst punishments that they could inflict on the
colt, and very injurious to a young horse that has been used to running in
pasture with his head down. I have seen colts so injured in this way that
they never got over it.</p>
<p>A horse should be well accustomed to the bit before you put on the bitting
harness, and when you first bit him you should only rein his head up to
that point where he naturally holds it, let that be high or low; he will
soon learn that he cannot lower his head, and that raising it a little
will loosen the bit in his mouth. This will give him the idea of raising
his head to loosen the bit, and then you can draw the bitting a little
tighter every time you put it on, and he will still raise his head to
loosen it; by this means you will gradually get his head and neck in the
position you want him to carry it, and give him a nice and graceful
carriage without hurting him, making him mad, or causing his mouth to get
sore.</p>
<p>If you put the bitting on very tight the first time, he cannot raise his
head enough to loosen it, but will bear on it all the time, and paw, sweat
and throw himself. Many horses have been killed by falling backward with
the bitting on, their heads being drawn up, strike the ground with the
whole weight of the body. Horses that have their heads drawn up tightly
should not have the bitting on more than fifteen or twenty minutes at a
time.</p>
<h4>How to drive a Horse that is very wild, and has any vicious habit</h4>
<p>Take up one fore foot and bend his knee till his hoof is bottom upwards,
and merely touching his body, then slip a loop over his knee, and up until
it comes above the pasture joint to keep it up, being careful to draw the
loop together between the hoof and pasture joint with a second strap of
some kind, to prevent the loop from slipping down and coming off. This
will leave the horse standing on three legs; you can now handle him as you
wish, for it is utterly impossible for him to kick in this position.
There is something in this operation of taking up one foot that conquers a
horse quicker and better than any thing else you can do to him. There is
no process in the world equal to it to break a kicking horse, for several
reasons. First, there is a principle of this kind in the nature of the
horse; that by conquering one member you conquer to a great extent the
whole horse.</p>
<p>You have perhaps seen men operate upon this principle by sewing a horse's
ears together to prevent him from kicking. I once saw a plan given in a
newspaper to make a bad horse stand to be shod, which was to fasten down
one ear. There were no reasons given why you should do so; but I tried it
several times, and thought it had a good effect—though I would not
recommend its use, especially stitching his ears together. The only
benefit arising from this process is, that by disarranging his ears we
draw his attention to them, and he is not so apt to resist the shoeing. By
tying up one foot we operate on the same principle to a much better
effect. When you first fasten up a horse's foot he will sometimes get very
mad, and strike with his knee, and try every possible way to get it down;
but he cannot do that, and will soon give it up.</p>
<p>This will conquer him better than anything you could do, and without any
possible danger of hurting himself or you either, for you can tie up his
foot and sit down and look at him until he gives up. When you find that he
is conquered, go to him, let down his foot, rub his leg with your hand,
caress him and let him rest a little, then put it up again. Repeat this a
few times, always putting up the same foot, and he will soon learn to
travel on three legs so that you can drive him some distance. As soon as
he gets a little used to this way of traveling, put on your harness and
hitch him to a sulky. If he is the worst kicking horse that ever raised a
foot you need not be fearful of his doing any damage while he has one foot
up, for he cannot kick, neither can he run fast enough to do any harm. And
if he is the wildest horse that ever had harness on, and has run away
every time he has been hitched, you can now hitch him in a sulky and drive
him as you please. And if he wants to run you can let him have the lines,
and the whip too, with perfect safety, for he cannot go but a slow gait on
three legs, and will soon be tired and willing to stop; only hold him
enough to guide him in the right direction, and he will soon be tired and
willing to stop at the word. Thus you will effectually cure him at once of
any further notion of running off. Kicking horses have always been the
dread of every body; you always hear men say, when they speak about a bad
horse, "I don't care what he does, so he don't kick." This new method is
an effectual cure for this worst of all habits. There are plenty of ways
by which you can hitch a kicking horse and force him to go, though he
kicks all the time; but this don't have any good effect towards breaking
him, for we know that horses kick because they are afraid of what is
behind them, and when they kick against it and it hurts them they will
only kick the harder, and this will hurt them still more and make them
remember the scrape much longer, and make it still more difficult to
persuade them to have any confidence in any thing dragging behind them
ever after.</p>
<p>But by this new method you can hitch them to a rattling sulky, plow,
wagon, or anything else in its worst shape. They may be frightened at
first, but cannot kick or do any thing to hurt themselves, and will soon
find that you do not intend to hurt them, and then they will not care any
thing more about it. You can then let down the leg and drive along gently
without any farther trouble. By this new process a bad kicking horse can
be learned to go gentle in harness in a few hours' time.</p>
<h4>On Balking.</h4>
<p>Horses know nothing about balking, only as they are brought into it by
improper management, and when a horse balks in harness it is generally
from some mismanagement, excitement, confusion, or from not knowing how to
pull, but seldom from any unwillingness to perform all that he
understands. High spirited, free going horses are the most subject to
balking, and only so because drivers do not properly understand how to
manage this kind. A free horse in a team may be so anxious to go that when
he hears the word he will start with a jump, which will not move the load,
but give him such a severe jerk on the shoulders that he will fly back and
stop the other horse; the teamster will continue his driving without any
cessation, and by the time he has the slow horse started again he will
find that the free horse has made another jump, and again flew back, and
now he has them both badly balked, and so confused that neither of them
knows what is the matter, or how to start the load. Next will come the
slashing and cracking of the whip, and hallooing of the driver, till
something is broken or he is through with his course of treatment. But
what a mistake the driver commits by whipping his horse for this act.
Reason and common sense should teach him that the horse was willing and
anxious to go, but did not know how to start the load. And should he whip
him for that? If so, he should whip him again for not knowing how to talk.
A man that wants to act with any rationality or reason should not fly into
a passion, but should always think before he strikes. It takes a steady
pressure against the collar to move a load, and you cannot expect him to
act with a steady, determined purpose while you are whipping him. There is
hardly one balking horse in five hundred that will pull true from
whipping; it is only adding fuel to fire, and will make them more liable
to balk another time. You always see horses that have been balked a few
times, turn their heads and look back, as soon as they are a little
frustrated. This is because they have been whipped and are afraid of what
is behind them. This is an invariable rule with balked horses, just as
much as it is for them to look around at their sides when they have the
bots; in either case they are deserving of the same sympathy and the same
kind, rational treatment.</p>
<p>When your horse balks, or is a little excited, if he wants to start
quickly, or looks around and don't want to go, there is something wrong,
and needs kind he treatment immediately. Caress him kindly, and if he
don't understand at once what you want him to do he will not be so much
excited as to jump and break things, and do everything wrong through fear.
As long as you are calm and can keep down the excitement of the horse,
there are ten chances to have him understand you, where there would not be
one under harsh treatment, and then the little <i>flare up</i> would not carry
with it any unfavorable recollections, and he would soon forget all about
it, and learn to pull true. Almost every wrong act the horse commits is
from mismanagement, fear or excitement; one harsh word will so excite a
nervous horse as to increase his pulse ten beats in a minute.</p>
<p>When we remember that we are dealing with dumb brutes, and reflect how
difficult it must be for them to understand our motions, signs and
language, we should never get out of patience with them because they don't
understand us, or wonder at their doing things wrong. With all our
intellect, if we were placed in the horse's situation, it would be
difficult for us to understand the driving of some foreigner, of foreign
ways and foreign language. We should always recollect that our ways and
language are just as foreign and unknown to the horse as any language in
the world is to us, and should try to practice what we could understand,
were we the horse, endeavoring by some simple means to work on his
understanding rather than on the different parts of his body. All balked
horses can be started true and steady in a few minutes time; they are all
willing to pull as soon as they know how, and I never yet found a balked
horse that I could not teach him to start his load in fifteen, and often
less than three minutes time.</p>
<p>Almost any team, when first balked, will start kindly, if you let them
stand five or ten minutes, as though there was nothing wrong, and then
speak to them with a steady voice, and turn them a little to the right or
left, so as to get them both in motion before they feel the pinch of the
load. But if you want to start a team that you are not driving yourself,
that has been balked, fooled and whipped for some time, go to them and
hang the lines on their hames, or fasten them to the wagon, so that they
will be perfectly loose; make the driver and spectators (if there is any)
stand off some distance to one side, so as not to attract the attention of
the horses; unloose their checkreins, so that they can get their heads
down, if they choose; let them stand a few minutes in this condition,
until you can see that they are a little composed. While they are standing
you should be about their heads, gentling them; it will make them a little
more kind, and the spectators will think that you are doing something that
they do not understand, and will not learn the secret. When you have them
ready to start, stand before them, and as you seldom have but one balky
horse in a team, get as near in front of him as you can, and if he is too
fast for the other horse, let his nose come against your breast; this will
keep him steady, for he will go slow rather than run on you; turn them
gently to the right, without letting them pull on the traces, as far as
the tongue will let them go; stop them with a kind word, gentle them a
little, and then turn them back to the left, by the same process. You will
have them under your control by this time, and as you turn them again to
the right, steady them in the collar, and you can take them where you
please.</p>
<p>There is a quicker process that will generally start a balky horse, but
not so sure. Stand him a little ahead, so that his shoulders will be
against the collar, and then take up one of his fore feet in your hand,
and let the driver start them, and when the weight comes against his
shoulders, he will try to step; then let him have his foot, and he will go
right along. If you want to break a horse from balking that has long been
in that habit, you ought to set apart a half day for that purpose. Put him
by the side of some steady horse; have check lines on them; tie up all the
traces and straps, so that there will be nothing to excite them; do not
rein them up, but let them have their heads loose. Walk them about
together for some time as slowly and lazily as possible; stop often, and
go up to your balky horse and gentle him. Do not take any whip about him,
or do any thing to excite him, but keep him just as quiet as you can. He
will soon learn to start off at the word, and stop whenever you tell him.</p>
<p>As soon as he performs right, hitch him in an empty wagon; have it stand
in a favorable position for starting. It would be well to shorten the stay
chain behind the steady horse, so that if it is necessary he can take the
weight of the wagon the first time you start them. Do not drive but a few
rods at first; watch your balky horse closely, and if you see that he is
getting balky, stop him before he stops of his own accord, caress him a
little, and start again. As soon as they go well, drive them over a small
hill a few times, and then over a large one, occasionally adding a little
load. This process will make any horse true to pull.</p>
<h4>To Break a Horse to Harness.</h4>
<p>Take him in a tight stable, as you did to ride him; take the harness and
go through the same process that you did with the saddle, until you get
him familiar with them, so that you can put them on him and rattle them
about without his caring for them. As soon as he will bear this, put on
the lines, caress him as you draw them over him, and drive him about in
the stable till he will bear them over his hips. The <i>lines</i> are a great
aggravation to some colts, and often frighten them as much as if you were
to raise a whip over them. As soon as he is familiar with the harness and
line, take him out and put him by the side of a gentle horse, and go
through the same process that you did with the balking horse. Always use a
bridle without blinds when you are breaking a horse to harness.</p>
<h4>How to hitch a Horse in a Sulky.</h4>
<p>Lead him to and around it; let him look at it, touch it with his nose, and
stand by it till he does not care for it; then pull the shafts a little to
the left, and stand by your horse in front of the off wheel. Let some one
stand on the right side of the horse, and hold him by the bit, while you
stand on the left side, facing the sulky. This will keep him straight. Run
your left hand back and let it rest on his hip, and lay hold of the shafts
with your right, bringing them up very gently to the left hand, which
still remains stationary. Do not let anything but your arm touch his back,
and as soon as you have the shafts square over him, let the person on the
opposite side take hold of one of them and lower them very gently on the
shaft bearers. Be very slow and deliberate about hitching; the longer time
you take, the better, as a general thing. When you have the shafts placed,
shake them slightly, so that he will feel them against each side. As soon
as he will bear them without scaring, fasten your braces, etc., and start
him along very slowly. Let one man lead the horse to keep him gentle,
while the other gradually works back with the lines till he can get behind
and drive him. After you have driven him in this way a short distance, you
can get into the sulky, and all will go right. It is very important to
have your horse go gently, when you first hitch him. After you have walked
him awhile, there is not half so much danger of his scaring. Men do very
wrong to jump up behind a horse to drive him as soon as they have him
hitched. There are too many things for him to comprehend all at once. The
shafts, the lines, the harness, and the rattling of the sulky, all tend to
scare him, and he must be made familiar with them by degrees. If your
horse is very wild, I would advise you to put up one foot the first time
you drive him.</p>
<h4>How to Make a Horse Lie Down.</h4>
<p>Every thing that we want to learn the horse must be commenced in some way
to give him an idea of what you want him to do, and then be repeated till
he learns it perfectly. To make a horse lie down, bend his left fore leg,
and slip a loop over it, so that he cannot get it down. Then put a
circingle around his body, and fasten one end of a long strap around the
other fore leg, just above the hoof. Place the other end under the
circingle, so as to keep the strap in the right hand; stand on the left
side of the horse, grasp the bit in your left hand, pull steadily on the
strap with your right; bear against his shoulder till you cause him to
move. As soon as he lifts his weight, your pulling will raise the other
foot, and he will have to come on his knees. Keep the strap tight in your
hand, so that he cannot straighten his leg if he raises up. Hold him in
his position, and turn his head toward you; bear against his side with
your shoulder, not hard, but with a steady equal pressure, and in about
ten minutes he will lie down. As soon as he lies down he will be
completely conquered, and you can handle him as you please. Take off the
straps, and straighten out his legs; rub him lightly about the face and
neck with your hand the way the hair lays; handle all his legs, and after
he has lain ten or twenty minutes, let him get up again. After resting him
a short time, make him lie down as before. Repeat the operation three or
four times, which will be sufficient for one lesson. Give him two lessons
a day, and when you have given him four lessons, he will lie down by
taking hold of one foot. As soon as he is well broken to lie down in this
way, tap him on the opposite leg with a stick when you take hold of his
foot, and in a few days he will lie down from the mere motion of the
stick.</p>
<h4>How to make a Horse follow you.</h4>
<p>Turn him into a large stable or shed, where there is no chance to get out,
with a halter or bridle on. Go to him and gentle him a little, take hold
of his halter and turn him towards you, at the same time touching him
lightly over the hips with a long whip. Lead him the length of the stable,
rubbing him on the neck, saying in a steady tone of voice as you lead him,
COME ALONG BOY! or use his name instead of boy, if you choose. Every time
you turn, touch him slightly with the whip, to make him step up close to
you, and then caress him with your hand. He will soon learn to hurry up to
escape the whip and be caressed, and you can make him follow you around
without taking hold of the halter. If he should stop and turn from you,
give him a few cuts about the hind legs, and he will soon turn his head
toward you, when you must always caress him. A few lessons of this kind
will make him run after you, when he sees the motion of the whip—in
twenty or thirty minutes he will follow you about the stable. After you
have given him two or three lessons in the stable, take him out into a
small lot and train him; and from thence you can take him into the road
and make him follow you anywhere, and run after you.</p>
<h4>How to make a Horse stand without Holding.</h4>
<p>After you have him well broken to follow you, stand him in the center of
the stable—begin at his head to caress him, gradually working backward.
If he move, give him a cut with the whip and put him back in the same spot
from which he started. If he stands, caress him as before, and continue
gentling him in this way until you can get round him without making him
move. Keep walking around him, increasing your pace, and only touch him
occasionally. Enlarge your circle as you walk around and if he then moves,
give him another cut with the whip and put him back to his place. If he
stands, go to him frequently and caress him, and then walk around him
again. Do not keep him in one position too long at a time, but make him
come to you occasionally and follow you round in the stable. Then stand
him in another place, and proceed as before. You should not train your
horse more than half an hour at a time.</p>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<h2><SPAN name="THE_HORSEMANS_GUIDE" id="THE_HORSEMANS_GUIDE" /><b>THE HORSEMAN'S GUIDE</b></h2>
<h2>AND</h2>
<h2>FARRIER.</h2>
<h4>By JOHN J. STUTZMAN, West Rushville, Fairfield County, Ohio.</h4>
<p>I will here insert some of the most efficient cures of diseases to which
the horse is subject. I have practised them for many years with
unparalleled success. I have cured horses with the following remedies,
which, (in many cases,) have been given up in despair, and I never had a
case in which I did not effect a cure.</p>
<h4>Cure for Colic.</h4>
<p>Take 1 gill of turpentine, 1 gill of opium dissolved in whisky; 1 quart of
water, milk warm. Drench the horse and move him about slowly. If there is
no relief in fifteen minutes, take a piece of chalk, about the size of an
egg, powder it, and put it into a pint of cider vinegar, which should be
blood warm, give that, and then move him as before.</p>
<p>ANOTHER.—Take 1 ounce laudanum, 1 ounce of ether, 1 ounce of tincture of
assafoetida, 2 ounces tincture of peppermint, half pint of whisky; put all
in a quart bottle, shake it well and drench the horse.</p>
<h4>Cure for the Bots.</h4>
<p>Take 1-1/2 pint of fresh milk, (just from the cow,) 1 pint of molasses.
Drench the horse and bleed him in the mouth; then give him 1 pint of
linseed oil to remove them.</p>
<h4>For Distemper.</h4>
<p>Take mustard seed ground fine, tar and rye chop, make pills about the size
of a hen's egg. Give him six pills every six hours, until they physic him;
then give him one table spoonful of the horse powder mentioned before,
once a day, until cured. Keep him from cold water for six hours after
using the powder.</p>
<h4>Long Fever.</h4>
<p>In the first place bleed the horse severely. Give him spirits of nitre,
in water which should not be too cold, for it would chill him. Keep him
well covered with blankets, and rub his legs and body well; blister him
around the chest with mustard seed, and be sure to give him no cold water,
unless there is spirits of nitre in it.</p>
<h4>Rheumatic Liniment.</h4>
<p>Take croton oil, aqua ammonia, f.f.f; oil of cajuput, oil of origanum, in
equal parts. Rub well. It is good for spinal diseases and weak back.</p>
<h4>Cuts and Wounds of all kinds.</h4>
<p>One pint of alcohol, half ounce of gum of myrrh, half ounce aloes, wash
once a day.</p>
<h4>Sprains and Swellings.</h4>
<p>Take 1-1/2 ounces of harts-horn, 1 ounce camphor, 2 ounces spirits of
turpentine, 4 ounces sweet oil, 8 ounces alcohol. Anoint twice a day.</p>
<h4>For Glanders.</h4>
<p>Take of burnt buck's horn a table spoonful, every three days for nine
days. If there is no relief in that time, continue the powder until there
is relief.</p>
<h4>Saddle or Collar Liniment.</h4>
<p>One ounce of spirits of turpentine, half ounce of oil of spike, half ounce
essence of wormwood, half ounce castile soap, half ounce gum camphor, half
ounce sulphuric ether, half pint alcohol, and wash freely.</p>
<h4>Liniment to set the stifle Joint on a Horse.</h4>
<p>One ounce oil of spike, half ounce origanum, half ounce oil amber. Shake
it well and rub the joints twice a day until cured, which will be in two
or three days.</p>
<h4>Eye Water.</h4>
<p>I have tried the following and found it an efficient remedy. I have tried
it on my own eyes and those of others. Take bolus muna 1 ounce, white
vitrol 1 ounce, alum half ounce, with one pint clear rain water: shake it
well before using. If too strong, weaken it with rain water.</p>
<h4>Liniment for Windgalls, Strains and growth of Lumps on Man or Horse.</h4>
<p>One ounce oil of spike, half ounce origanum, half ounce amber, aqua fortis
and sal amoniac 1 drachm, spirits of salts 1 drachm oil of sassafras half
ounce, harts-horn half ounce. Bathe once or twice a day.</p>
<h4>Horse Powder.</h4>
<p>This powder will cure more diseases than any other medicine known; such as
Distemper, Fersey, Hidebound, Colds, and all lingering diseases which may
arise from impurity of the blood or lungs.—Take 1 lb. comfrey root, half
lb. antimony, half lb. sulphur, 3 oz. of saltpetre, half lb. laurel
berries, half lb. juniper berries, half lb. angetice seed, half lb. rosin,
3 oz. alum, half lb. copperas, half lb. master wort, half lb. gun powder.
Mix all to a powder and give in the most cases, one table spoonful in mash
feed once a day till cured. Keep the horse dry, and keep him from the cold
water six hours after using it.</p>
<h4>For Cuts or Wounds on Horse or Man.</h4>
<p>Take fishworms mashed up with old bacon oil, and tie on the wound, which
is the surest and safest cure.</p>
<h4>Oil for Collars.</h4>
<p>This oil will also cure bruises, sores, swellings, strains or galls. Take
fishworms and put them in a crock or other vessel 24 hours, till they
become clean; then put them in a bottle and throw plenty of salt upon
them, place them near a stove and they will turn to oil; rub the parts
affected freely. I have cured knee-sprung horses with this oil frequently.</p>
<h4>Sore and Scummed Eyes on Horses.</h4>
<p>Take fresh butter or rabbit's fat, honey, and the white of three eggs,
well stirred up with salt, and black pepper ground to a fine powder; mix
it well and apply to the eye with a feather. Also rub above the eye (in
the hollow,) with the salve. Wash freely with cold spring water.</p>
<h4>For a Bruised Eye.</h4>
<p>Take rabbit's fat, and use as above directed. Bathe freely with fresh
spring water. I have cured many bloodshot eyes with this simple remedy.</p>
<h4>Poll-evil or Fistula.</h4>
<p>Take of Spanish flies 1 oz., gum euphorbium 3 drachms, tartar emetic 1
oz., rosin 3 oz.; mix and pulverize, and then mix them with a half lb. of
lard. Anoint every three days for three weeks; grease the parts affected
with lard every four days. Wash with soap and water before using the
salve. In poll-evil, if open, pulverize black bottle glass, put as much in
each ear as will lay on a dime. The above is recommended in outside
callous, such as spavin, ringbone, curbs, windgalls, etc. etc.</p>
<h4>For the Fersey.</h4>
<p>Take 1 quart of sassafras root bark, 1 quart burdock root, spice wood
broke fine, 1 pint rattle weed root. Boil in 1-1/2 gallons of water; scald
bran; when cool give it to the horse once a day for 3 or 4 days. Then
bleed him in the neck and give him the horse powder as directed. In
extreme cases, I also rowel in the breast and hind legs, to extract the
corruption and remove the swelling. This is also an efficient remedy for
blood diseases, etc., etc.</p>
<h4>To Make the Hair Grow on Man or Beast.</h4>
<p>Take milk of sulphur 1/2 drachm, sugar of lead 1/2 drachm, rose water 1/2
gill, mix and bathe well twice a day for ten days.</p>
<h4>Cholera or Diarrhea Tincture.</h4>
<p>1 oz. of laudanum, 1 oz. of spirits of camphor, 1 oz. spirits of nitre,
1/2 oz. essence of peppermint, 20 drops of chloroform; put all in a
bottle, shake well, and take 1/2 teaspoonful in cold water once every six,
twelve and twenty-four hours, according to the nature of the case.</p>
<h4>Cure for the Heaves.</h4>
<p>Give 30 grains of tartar emetic every week until cured.</p>
<h4>Process of causing a Horse to lay down.</h4>
<p>Approach him gently upon the left side, fasten a strap around the ancle of
his fore-foot; then raise the foot gently, so as to bring the knee against
the breast and the foot against the belly. The leg being in this position,
fasten the strap around his arm, which will effectually prevent him from
putting that foot to the ground again. Then fasten a strap around the
opposite leg, and bring it over his shoulder, on the left side, so that
you can catch hold of it; then push these gently, and when he goes to
fall, pull the strap, which will bring him on his knees.</p>
<p>Now commence patting him under the belly; by continuing your gentle
strokes upon the belly, you will, in a few minutes, bring him to his knees
behind. Continue the process, and he will lie entirely down, and submit
himself wholly to your treatment. By thus proceeding gently, you may
handle his feet and legs in any way you choose.</p>
<p>However wild and fractious a horse may be naturally, after practicing this
process a few times, you will find him perfectly gentle and submissive,
and even disposed to follow you anywhere, and unwilling to leave you on
any occasion.</p>
<p>Unless the horse be wild, the first treatment will be all sufficient; but
should he be too fractious to be approached in a manner necessary to
perform the first named operation, this you will find effectual, and you
may then train your horse to harness or anything else with the utmost
ease.</p>
<p>In breaking horses for harness, after giving the powders, put the harness
on gently, without startling him, and pat him gently, then fasten <i>the
chain</i> to a log, which he will draw for an indefinite length of time. When
you find him sufficiently gentle, place him to a wagon or other vehicle.</p>
<p>NOTE.—Be <i>extremely</i> careful in catching a horse, not to affright him.
After he is caught, and the powders given, rub him gently on the head,
neck, back and legs, and on each side of the eyes, the way the hair lies,
but be very careful not to whip, for a young horse is equally passionate
with yourself, and this pernicious practice has ruined many fine and
valuable horses. When you are riding a colt (or even an old horse), do not
whip him if he scares, but draw the bridle, so that his eye may rest upon
the object which has affrighted him, and pat him upon the neck as you
approach it; by this means you will pacify him, and render him less liable
to start in future.</p>
<h4>Means of learning a Horse to pace.</h4>
<p>Buckle a four pound weight around the ancles of his hind legs, (lead is
preferable) ride your horse briskly with those weights upon his ancles, at
the same time, twitching each rein of the bridle alternately, by this
means you will immediately throw him into a pace. After you have trained
him in this way to some extent, change your leaded weights for something
lighter; leather padding, or something equal to it, will answer the
purpose; let him wear these light weights until he is perfectly trained.
This process will make a smooth and easy pacer of any horse.</p>
<h4>Horsemanship.</h4>
<p>The rider should, in the first place, let the horse know that he is not
afraid of him. Before mounting a horse, take the rein into the left hand,
draw it tightly, put the left foot in the stirrup, and raise quickly. When
you are seated press your knees to the saddle, let your leg, from the
knee, stand out; turn your toe in and heel out; sit upright in your
saddle, throw your weight forward—one third of it in the stirrups—and
hold your rein tight. Should your horse scare, you are braced in your
saddle and he cannot throw you.</p>
<h4>Indication of a Horse's Disposition.</h4>
<p>A long, thin neck indicates a good disposition, contrariwise, if it be
short and thick. A broad forehead, high between the ears, indicates a very
vicious disposition.</p>
<h4>Cures, &c.</h4>
<p><i>Cure for the Founder.</i>—Let 1-1/2 gallons of blood from the neck vein,
make frequent applications of hot water to his forelegs; after which,
bathe them in wet cloths, then give one quart Linseed Oil. The horse will
be ready for service the next day.</p>
<p><i>Botts.</i>—Mix one pint honey with one quart sweet milk, give as a drench,
one hour after, dissolve 1 oz. pulverized Coperas in a pint of water, use
likewise, then give one quart of Linseed Oil. Cure effectual.</p>
<p><i>Colic.</i>—After bleeding copiously in the mouth, take a half pound of raw
cotton, wrap it around a coal of fire in such a way as to exclude the air;
when it begins to smoke, hold it under the horse's nose until he becomes
easy. Cure certain in ten minutes.</p>
<p><i>Distemper.</i>—Take 1-1/2 gallons blood from the neck vein, then give a
dose of Sassafras Oil, 1-1/2 ounces is sufficient. Cure speedy and
certain.</p>
<p><i>Fistula.</i>—When it makes its appearance, rowel both sides of the
shoulder; if it should break, take one ounce of verdigris, 1 ounce oil
rosin, 1 ounce copperas, pulverize and mix together. Use it as a salve.</p>
<h4>Receipt for Bone Spavin or Ring-Bone.</h4>
<p>Take a table-spoonful of corrosive sublimate; quicksilver about the size
of a bean; 3 or 4 drops of muriatic acid; iodine about the size of a pea,
and lard enough to form a paste; grind the iodine and sublimate fine as
flour, and put altogether in a cup, mix well, then shear the hair all off
the size you want; wash clean with soap-suds, rub dry, then apply the
medicine. Let it stay on five days; if it does not take effect, take it
off, mix it over with a little more lard, and add some fresh medicine.
When the lump comes out, wash it clean in soap-suds, then apply a poultice
of cow dung, leave it on twelve hours, then apply healing medicine.</p>
<h4>Temperance Beverage.</h4>
<p>One quart of water, three pounds of sugar, one teaspoonful of lemon oil,
one table-spoonful of flour, with the white of four eggs, well beat up.
Mix the above well together, then divide the syrup, and add four ounces of
carbonic soda in one-half, and three ounces of tartaric acid in the other
half; then bottle for use.</p>
<h4>Sarsaparilla Syrup.</h4>
<p>One ounce Sarsaparilla, two pounds brown sugar, ten drops wintergreen, and
half pint of water.</p>
<div style='height: 8pc;'><br/></div>
<div id='ad'>
<p style='font-size: large;'>“The most Wonderful Book ever Written.”</p>
<h2>ESOTERIC ANTHROPOLOGY</h2>
<h3>Interior Science of Man.</h3>
<p><b>A Comprehensive and Confidential Treaties on the Structure and Functions,
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<p><span class='smcap'>This Book is all that its title Indicates.</span>—It treats of the
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</blockquote>
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<hr style='width: 45%;' />
<p class='ctr'><b>SENT FREE BY MAIL FOR ONE DOLLAR.</b></p>
<hr style='width: 45%;' />
<p class='ctr'><b>WATKIN & NICHOLSON, Publishers No. 225 Fifth Street, Cincinnati, O.</b></p>
<p><i>The attention of Lecturers and Book Agents is especially called to this
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