DR. SUTHERLAND’S

SYSTEM OF

EDUCATING THE HORSE,

WITH RULES FOR TEACHING THE HORSE SOME
rORTY
DIFFERENT TRICKS OR FEATS,

SUCH AS
COMB WHEN CALLED, MAKE A BOW, SHAKE HANDS, KNOCK ON TIE DOOR, CIRCLE AROUND,
STAND ON THE TABLE, JUMP OVER TIE WHIP. JUMP PHROUGH TH HOOP, Lik DOWN, KNERU
DOWN, SIT UP, WALK ON THREE LEGS, STAND ON HIND LEGS, WALK ON HIND LUGS,
SAY YES, SAY NO, WALTZ, PICK UP THINGS, HOLD THINGS, CARRY AND FETCH THINGS
TAKE OFF CAP, COAT, MITIENS, &¢., UNBUCKLE SADDLE GIRTH AND TAKE OFF SADDLE,
OPEN AND SHUT THE DOOR, PUMP WATER, FIRE GUN OR PISTOL AT A MARK, RING A BELL
FIND HIDDEN THINGS, TELL HIS A B C's, ADD, MULVIPLY. SUBTRACT AND DIVIDE, SPELL
READ, COUNT OR SELECT THE CARD CALLED FOR, TELL THE TIME OF DAY BY A WATCH,
ANSWER ANY QUESTION IN THE MULTIPLICATION TABLE, TELL HIS AGE, DAYS IN THR
WEEK, MONTHS IN THE YEAR, &c., TELL FORTUNE, BRING THE CARD CALLED FOR, PLAY
CARDS, PASS AROUND THE HAT FOR A COLLECTION.

3EING ENTIRELY “ORIGINAL,”

AND THE

First Work on Educating the Horse ever Published.

ALSO, DIRECTIONS FOR

TAMING, SUBDUING AND BREAKING

THE YOUNG HORSE TO THE

HALTER, SADDLE AND HARNESS,
AND THE BEST METHOD FOR CURING OR BREAKING THE OLD AND VICIOUS HORSE OF
BALKING, KICKING, REARING AND RUNNING,

AND MAKING THE ONCE WORTHLESS HORSE, AGAIN KIND, GENTLE, AND VALUABLE.
WITH DIRECTIONS FOR SELECTING A GOOD TIORSE, AND RULES FOR
TELLING THE AGE OF THE HORSE,

a
BLY Gc. EX. SU PELE EI AIN IO» Mf. X.,

Hermon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y.

‘«The tramp of my steed so swift and strong,
Ts dearer than fame and sweeter than song.”’

mas. Cb cs oa
vi 3 Feo a
fe , .
2-0 Dre ’ :
%
ac.

POTSDAM :
FAY, BAKER & Co.'s STEAM POWER PRESSES.
1861.

Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1861, by
G. H. SUTHERLAND,
In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States,
for the Northern District of New York.

3b O
ie {:

PN Ee. Oy Cc 8 i BD

‘¢ Bound proudly my steed ; nor bound proudiy in vain,
Since thy master is now himself again ;
And thine be the praise, when the leech’s power
Is idle to conquer the darkened hour—
By the might of thy sounding hoof to win
Beauty without and joy within ;
Beauty, else to my eyes unseen,
And joy, that then had a stranger been.’’
IDLER.

AmonG all the animals with which Providence has stocked
the earth, what one can compare, in beauty, speed and service,
with the Horse? While he is possessed of a flight of aided
nearly equal to the “Tron Horse,” he submits his neck, “ cloth-
ed in thunder,” to be restrained by a silken rein. From the
earliest ages the horse has been identified with man in all his
perils, triumphs, labors, pleasures and repose. The sentiment
has been common among all good men, to treat the horse and
dog with especial kindness, and to cherish and protect them,
even when the infirmities of old < age and long service have ren-

dered them useless.
The horse has always been man’s ally and faithful slave. In

war he not only moves all the machinery of the field and camp,
but shares with his rider all the dangers and fatigues of the

4

battle. Every branch of industry owes much to his patient
toil. He not only patiently toils before the loaded wagon,
but shares the excitements and pleasures of the race. Hence
there is no animal that so much deserves our warmest sympa-
thy and kind attention. And that man is greatly to be pitied who
can honestly say, “I care nothing for a horse ;” who has no
appreciation of the almost human intelligence, the unflinching
spirit, the majestic beauty, and the marvelous power and fleet-
ness of a splendid horse. And that man who will knowingly
or wilfully injure or inflict unnecessar y pain on the horse,—

‘« Ts only fit for deeds of darkness, stratagems and spoils :

The motions of his spirit are dull as night,

And his affections dark as erebus.
Let no such man be trusted!”?

The Arabian Horse.

Cae on at cE

A NEW AND ORIGINAL SYSTEM FOR TAMING, BREAKING
AND EDUCATING THE YOUNG HORSE.

**They hailed the colt ; for speed and fire
Had marked his breed through dam and sire,
Far back to those whose hoofs had pressed
The sands of Araby the blessed.’’

Havine been engaged for several years past in the practice
of medicine, I have been under the necessity of keeping one
or more horses for the most part of the time; and as the labor
was of a light nature, it was well calculated for breaking and
training the young horse, as it gave him almost constant em-
ployment, without that wear and tear to the constitution that
most kinds of constant labor would produce. And being a
great lover of the horse, I have not only trained and broke
what few young horses I have owned during this time, to the
halter, saddle and harness, but have taught them many feats or

tricks, such as lying down, sitting up, walking on three legs,
making bows, jumping the whip, jumping through a hoop, an-
swering questions, unbuckling his saddle girth and taking off
his saddle, spelling, counting, telling fortunes, and playing
cards ; besides breaking or curing many old and vicious horses
of balking, rearing, kicking and running away. Many of these
were of the very worst character, and my success has been
such that if a man possessed a horse that had resisted all man-
ner and kinds of treatment, he was as a last resort brought to
me, and I never have yet failed in one instance of making the
most vicious horse again perfectly docile and gentle while un-
der my control, and the most of them remained good and faith-
ful servants the remainder of their lives. But some few, after
being again exposed to the same influence or treatment that
had made them wild or vicious, “ returned like the sow that
was washed to her wallowing in the mire.’ Could those few
have remained with me, or been treated with kindness, they no
doubt would have remained gentle, true, and faithful to the
last.

Rarey’s system of taming and subduing tie horse is making
an almost entire revolution in the treatment of the horse. His
system is superior to anything before published, and his name
will be ranked with other public benefactors of the age.

I shall not give my system to the pdblic as a rival system;
but as a co-worker in that great but neglected field of educa-
tion, I shall strive to adhere still closer to that one great ,prin-
ciple, kindness. Iam convinced, by observation as well as ex-
perience, that we can successfully tame, subdue and control
the most wild and vicious horse by kindness alone, without re-
sorting to the use of drugs, whip, fetters, or strangulation, and
make the most vicious and savage horse not only eat from our
hands and lie down at our bidding, but follow us around like
some pet lamb. By this one great principle, kindness, we can
not only successfully govern our families, but control the in-
mates of schools, workhouses and prisons, and reclaim the
most hardened criminal, when all other means fail. And the
public have only yet to learn the fact that we can by this
same sytem tame, subdue and control the horse sooner, safer
and better than by any other system or method before prac-

7

ticed by the public. It is an old and true maxim that the “ gen-
tle hand leads the elephant by the hair.” He surely is the
merciful man who puts the whip into the manger and not on to
the horse.

All young horses, I contend, can be subdued and rendered
kind, safe and useful, by a proper application of the following
rules or directions, and my object in laying down these rules
will be to teach the horseman how to apply them under differ-
ent circumstances. These simple’rules, with a person possess-
ed of a common share of intelligence and ingenuity, will never
fail or disappoint him. There is no “hokus pokus” or black
art about them; they are founded on one of those great laws
of nature, and can be successfully applied by any person of
judgment and ingenuity.

Since taming and subduing the young horse is one of the
first lessons, or the A B C in that important but ill understood
process of preparing the young horse for all those many and
important situations in society that he is destined as well as
qualified by his nature to oceupy; whether in the homely gear
of field labor, or in the gorgeous trappings of the tourna-
ment or chariot of war, or to astonish the world with his mighty
flights of speed, like the Flying Childers or Godolphin Arabian,
or more recently, our Planet, Fashion, Flora Temple, Ethan
Allen, or Geo. M. Patchen,—how necessary then that we make
a proper beginning, that we thoroughly understand the busi-
ness that we are engaged in; for it is equally true of the
young horse as of the child, “just as the twig is bent the tree
is inclined.” It is much easier to prevent an evil than to erad-
cate it after it is once established.

My system is founded on the principle that “Adam’s fall”
did not in the least affect his horse—that all of those vicious
and dangerous habits that our horses possess are not natural to
the horse, but have been taught him in different ways, by mis-
chievous or ignorant grooms. The Lord, after he had created
what few horses and other stock necessary for old father Adam
to commence business with, pronounced them all ‘ good,” and
we have every reason for believing it was so. his being the
case, how important that we so manage our horses that they

8

shall not contract one bad or dangerous vice to reduce their
value, or render them unsafe or dangerous.

The horse has no consciousness of his strength or power,
beyond his experience; and if we can succeed, while taming
and breaking him, in keeping him in ignorance of his power to
do mischief, we shall have no trouble in making the young
horse, in every instance, perfectly gentle and obedient ; culti-
vate his noble qualities, and let these useless and dangerous
passions lie dormant and inactive ; strive first to gain his friend-
ship, and then his love. The horse reasons very imperfectly ;
give him a mind in proportion to his strength, and he would
soon demand the green fields for his inheritance, where he
could “roam where he pleased and breathe the fresh air,” and
would deny all right of man to enslave him.

With this system the owner of the horse can successfully
tame, subdue and break to the halter, saddle and harness his
young colts or horses, without the use of the whip, drugs, or
fetters, and without their contracting one bad habit to render
them dangerous or worthless. By this system you can cure
the vicious horse of all his old and vicious habits that he has
acquired by bad management, and make the worthless and
dangerous animals again goodand valuable servants the remain-
der of their lives. This system of educating the horse being
entirely original, and the first work of the kind ever published
in this or any other country, it will be sought after with avidi-
ty in this age of fast men, fast women and fast horses. The
more the horse is educated, the more obedient and compan-
ionable he will be, and the more he will be loved, and conse-
quently better cared for.

The Horse of All Work.

OHAP THR: IL.
TAMING AND SUBDUING THE HORSE.

‘«* And mettled nags shall paw the earth, and prance,
Restive to bear, as light as ocean’s surf,

Their graceful burthens o’er the springy turf ;
Impatient for the golden hour, when

The test shall come, of which equestrienne

Shall wear the rose-wreath, meed of merit proud,
Amid the plaudits of the smiling crowd,

For having gained, by flying o’er the green,

The royal title of the Turf’s Fair Queen.’’

However horsemen may differ in relation to the manner of
inculcating the first lessons, all seem to agree that perfect kind-
ness and gentleness should characterize our first endeavors to
bring the young horse into subjection. .

The breaking and training the young horse to all the differ-
ent kinds of service for which, when matured, he will be used,
should commence at an early age. The reason for this is ob-

10

vious. As the young horse advances towards maturity he be-
comes fixed in his habits and more strong and resolute, and is
able to offer greater resistance. In training and breaking the
horse too much pains cannot be taken to have every descrip-
tion of halter, harness or other fixings put upon him perfectly
sound and strong. Accidents arising from defects in the hal-
ter, harness or carriage, are not only dangerous to the horse-
man, but often ruinous to the young horse.

Before you commence taming or subduing the young horse,
prepare a large room orstable where you can confine him and be
excluded as much as possible from view, and from every thing
that might tend to disturb him; remove all children, dogs and
hens from your stable ; have the floor well littered with straw,
tan bark or saw dust; next prepare your pocket with a few
handfuls of corn, or some other grain, or a few crackers.

All being now ready, you will next proceed to get him into
the stable. This is very easily accomplished by first lead-
ing in some broke horse, and placing him in one corner, in
plain view from the yard. The young horse will generally very
soon walk in of his own accord; if not, do not undertake to
drive himin at once. Avoid all haste; walk quietly around
his yard, keep your arms hanging by your side; now very
gradually give him less room, by slowly closing around him;
he will not attempt to break away unless you frighten him;
keep following him around until he will soon walk into the
stable. Now give him time to examine his apartment, when
he will soon become reconciled: to his situation, The horse
has a natural inclination to examine everything, and this he
does by first taking a look at it, and then smelling or putting
his nose upon it—this is his way of examising things. Although
he may examine a thing ever so sharply by looking at.it, yet
he does not appear to be satisfied until he has touched it with
his nose. When frightened by any object, he will run a short
distance, but will soon return, and very cautiously walk around
ita short distance off, gradually coming nearer with his head
reached out as far as possible, until he can touch it with his
nose, then all is right. Knowing this singular characteristic of
the horse you will be better prepared to manage him. As soon
as he appears quiet, go gently into his stall, (better to be alone

11

if possible,) slowly walk around his apartment, talk to him,
give him every opportunity to examine you. He will soon
learn that you are not disposed to injure him, and the presence
of the broke horse inspires confidence, and he will soon allow
you to place your hand on him. Now caress him, rub his head,
neck or body, or the part nearest you very gently at every op-
portunity ; quietly touch and rub those places that are agreea-
ble to him; those places that he cannot easily rub or touch
with his mouth or feet, such as the back, top of the hips, jowles,
the underside of the neck and head. There is a quieting, or
soothing, or if you please a sort of mesmeric influence in those
gentle strokes or “ passes” that no animal can resist. He will
soon allow you to rub or handle his body without flying from
you. Give him often a few kernels of corn or a bit of cracker.
As soon as he will allow you to walk up to him and handle
every part of his body, and eat from your hands, you have got
him sufficiently tamed to halter. Many young horses will allow
you to walk up to them at once, and place the halter on their
heads, while others are more shy and timid; but the majority
will allow you to place the halter on their heads in from fifteen
minutes to half an hour.

While taming and subduing the young horse, great care
should be taken to reward every act of obedience by gentle-
caress, a pat and akind word. There is no secret in the busi
ness—it is accomplished by kindness alone; you can conquer
him by kindness, and you gain his love by caresses, and the
horse that loves you will obey you. But aman, to succeed in
taming and breaking the horse, must be at least half horse—he
must love and almost worship him, and feel like exclaiming—

«The tramp of my steed, so swift and strong,
Is dearer than fame and sweeter than,song.’’

The English Hunter.

CHAPTER ITI.
BREAKING THE YOUNG HORSE TO THE HALTER

‘* With spurning hoof he paws the ground,
He champs his bit, and looks around—
On high he waves his lofty crest,

Erects his ears, expands his chest;
And, like the rainbow’s arch, his neck
Is curved, tho’ not with bridle’s check.
Restless he stands, with nostrils wide,
And with his neighing seems to chide
The huntsmen for their long delay,
For eager he pants to hark away !”’

AFTER your horse has become sufficiently gentle, and will
allow you to approach him without flying from you, and allow
you to handle every part of his body, and eat from your hand,
or, perhaps, as many will by this time follow you around the
stable, you may place the halter on his head.

Always use a leather halter in breaking the young horse; let

13

the leather be strong and pliable, and easily and ; nicely fitted
to his head. Never put a rope halter on a young horse; the
cords are hard, and hurt, his head when he pulls ever so lightly.
Being hurt, the horse will instinctively try to get his head out
of the halter, and the harder he pulls the tighter and_ harder it
will pinch and hurt his head, and he will. generally pull and
struggle until the halter breaks, or he throws himself. several
times, and by this means not only contracts the habit of pulling
but endangers his life amd limbs.

All being now ready you will take the halter in your left
hand, and very slowly approach the colt; don’t be in a hurry ;
give him time to examine every part of the halter in his own
particular way. While he is examining the halter, caress and
feed him from your pocket; perhaps while you are caressing
and feeding him you can place the halter on his head, but if he
should be somewhat wild or shy, you can always succeed in
the following manner: Unbuckle the top of your halter, and
then take hold of the end of the long strap that goes over his
head with your right hand and carry it under his neck, while
you reach the left hand over his neck and grasp the end of this
same long strap. Now lower the halter just enough to get his
nose into the nose-piece, and then raise up the halter to its
proper place and fasten your buckle, and all is right.

In haltering and leading the young horse it would be well to
bear in mind the old maxim, “that the gentle hand leads the
elephant by a hair.’ Next splice out your halter some twelve
or fourteen feet, so that you can let him walk around the stable
without checking him or letting go the halter.

After he has become somewhat used to the halter, you can
begin to give him some idea about being led.. Don’t undertake
to hold him still, or draw him after you; if you do not make
him pull he never will try, for. he knows nothing about his
strength. You can begin to control him by gently taking up
the halter in your hand and shortening the distance between '
you and hin. Never pull on the halter in a straight line with
his body, but first step to the right or left, and then pull him
gently towards you, as he has nothing to brace either side of
his neck; he will soon be compelled to yield to a steady pull
on the halter; as soonas he moves one or more steps towards

14

you, stop and caress him. Whenever you pull on the halter in
this way, speak to him pleasantly, and call him by his name;
the horse soon learns to comprehend what we say, and by ad-
dressing him always with the same gentle tone of voice in con-
nection with the same requirements, he very readily becomes
willing to obey merely by addressing him. When you have
succeeded in making him step towards you, and after reward-
ing him suitably, gently pull him the other way, first to the
right and then to the left, or vice versa. Repeat this operation
until he will follow you in any direction around the stable, not
knowing that he has the power to do otherwise, and since you
have treated him with so much kindness he is no longer afraid
of you, and by your caresses and gentle voice you have so far
conquered him and gained his friendship, that he would sooner
follow you than not. Now you can remove the broke horse,
for by this time he will leave even his father and mother and
follow you. After leading him back and forth around the sta-
ble for a short time, open the door of his stable. Now lead him
back and forth by it several times, and then you may take him
out into the yard or street. Always in taming and _ haltering
the young horse, see that there is no person either in or around
the stable, as the presence of the second person not only at-
tracts his attention but often frightens him. By treating the
horse in this gentle and humane manner, you soon banish all
fear, and likewise gain his love, and he will strive to obey you,
not only because it is a pleasure, but in order to receive those
little rewards in the shape of caresses and corn that he has
been in the habit of receiving for obedience. There is no
horse so wild or vicious but what can be completely tamed and
subdued, and will submit to be led around in any direction, by
a proper application of these rules, without as much as once
rearing or throwing themselves.

The English Thoroughbred.

Coarse Beir ti
BREAKING THE YOUNG HORSE TO THE SADDLE

‘*Gamarra is a dainty steed,
Strong, bay, and of a noble breed,
Full of fire and full of bone,
With all his line of fathers known.
Fine his nose and nostrils thin,
But blown abroad by the pride within.
His mane is like a river flowing,
And his eyes like embers glowing
In the darkness of the night,
And his pace as swift as light.’’

In breaking the young horse to the saddle, you will treat him
in that same gentle and quiet manner as directed in taming and
breaking them to the halter. Many horsemen first break their
young horses to the harness before they attempt to ride them,
and it is often the best plan of management. Indeed, there are
very few young horses, if any, that have been properly broke

16

to the halter and harness, but what you could mount and ride
with perfect ease and safety.

Before you commence breaking your horse to the saddle,
prepare a suitable room or stable; have the floor well littered
with straw or tanbark, and remove everything that would tend
to frighten or disturb him, and if possible have no other per-
son in or around the stable to disturb or attract his attention.
Now place upon him a good strong,bridle, with a plain snafile
bit. You will have no trouble in putting on his bridle, as_ he
will not notice the difference between the bridle and the halter
that he has been in the habit of wearing, except in the bit; this
he may not relish quite so well at first, but he will very soon
become accustomed to its presence in his mouth. Next take
the saddle in your hand and let him examine it, look at it, smell
of it, and rub his nose against it, and when he has had sufficient
time to make the necessary examinations, and satisfied himself
that there is nothing about it that will hurt or injure him, you
will take the saddle under your right arm, and while you are
caressing him, gently place it on his back, give it quite a num-
ber of shakes, that he may be aware of the presence of the sad-
dle on his back; if he is not disposed to object to its being
there, you may very gently place the crouper under his tail,
and then make the saddle fast to its place by buckling the girth
moderately tight around him. Allow him to stand for a short
time in his stall, or until he gets somewhat used to the pres-
ence and pressure of the saddle. If your bridle has double
reins, so much the better, if not, you will attach another tem-
porary set, and by means of those extra reins, and a ring pre-
pared for the purpose in the front end of your saddle, “ check
up” your horse to any required position, and have him by this
means more completely under your control.

Have your check quite loose at first, and then tighten it as
circumstances or your taste may dictate, as you progress in
breaking your horse, but always loosen it while your horse is
standing. You can now-lead him around for a short time, or
until he becomes somewhat used to the crouper and the check
rein. . Bape. ©

As soon as he appears quiet and docile, throw the other
reins over his head, as you would in riding, and then witha

17

hand on either sfde of his saddle, walk by his side and drive
him around the stable, stop often and caress him, and feed him
from your pocket. As soon as he will allow you to drive him
around in this way, and start and stop when bid, you may place
your right foot in the stirrup, and with your right hand bearing
on the opposite side of your saddle, bear quite hard in the stir-
rup. Repeat this often, first on.one side, and then on the other;
now in the same way place your foot in the stirrup and raise
yourself slowly up; if he appears afraid or restless, stop and ca-
ress him. Whenever you make a move to lead or mount him,
speak to him pleasantly, call him by name; always use the same
gentle tones of voice.

If he will submit to all this and remain quiet, you can throw
your body across the saddle, or throw your leg over his crouper
and place yourself in the saddle. Now pat and caress him while
sitting in the saddle ; mount and dismount several times. As
soon as you can mount and dismount, and turn him this way and
that way, and start and stop when bid, you may commence to
ride him around the room or stable. Always keep your left
rein the shortest, and in this way yon will prevent lim from
making any sudden spring. Give him a few lessons in this way
stopping him often, mounting and dismounting until you can
ride him in any direction you may choose, and then you may
take him into a large yard or the street. Perhaps you would
do well now to make his check somewhat tighter—this alone is
one powerful means of conquering and controlling the young
horse, but never allow it to be on him any great length of time
very tight, while standing, or while you are caressing him—al-
ways loosen the check rein. Give him short rides at first; if he
appears restless or angry, talk to him. If necessary, stop and
dismount and loosen his check, and walk around him; as soon as
he appears quiet, mount him again, and he will soon allow you
to mount him without moving a foot, and ride him in any direc-
tion without.as much as once rearing or throwing himself or his
rider, and has not contracted one bad habit or vice while break-
ing, to reduce his value, or render him in yany way unsafe or

dangerous.
As your horse becomes gentle you can kengthen or shorten

his check until you bring his head and neck into any position
your judgment or fancy may dictate. Much has been said and

18

written on the use and abuse of the “check rein.” While one
would recommend it under some particular circumstances, oth-
ers again would condemn it altogether. The check rein, I con-
sider, like many of our physicians, good in their place; but 1
must confess, too often found out of their place.

In breaking our young horses to the saddle and harness, it
would be almost impossible to dispense with the check rein. It
is a powerful means of controlling the horse, and bringing his
head and neck into that graceful position so much admired by
all amateurs of the horse. Our horses will often look, travel,
and in every way closely match, except in the carrying of their
heads, and by the humane use of the check, we can remedy this
one defect, and make the match perfect. But in breaking the
young horse to the “turf,” or fora “fast nag,’ we should dis-
pense with it almost entirely.. Instead of forcing the head up
and the nose in, we should allow them to extend them as much
as possible, for the more the head, neck and body are brought
into a straight line, the more straight and direct the “ breathing
tube ” that leads from the lungs, and consequently the freer and
easier the breathing will be, and this is quite an important item
with the sporting man.

Never use martingales on a young horse when you ride him
for the first few times. Every movement of the hand should
go directly to the bit, in the direction in which it is applied,
without the martingales to change the direction of the force
applied. After your horse has been rode until he is well accus-
tomed to the bit, you may then find it an advantage to put mar-
tingales on him; indeed they are almost indispensable.

Nothing now remains to complete his education but to teach
him his paces; this is of the greatest importance, as on his per-
fection in them depends much of his future usefulness and val-
ue. No pace is of so much importance to the young horse as
the walk, and the young horse should be thoroughly drilled in
this before any attempt is made to push him into the trot.

Don’t be over anxious to have your horse acquire a reputa-
tion for a “fast horse” before he has learned to move well ina
natural trot. In riding always keep your reins snug, no matter
how gentle the horse; the gentlest horse is lable to become
frightened, besides your horse always needs a gentle pressure
on the bit. Occasionally he should be pushed to his extreme

19

speed in the trot, but he should be kept at it only for a fow
moments at a time, and whenever he has done well reward him
with a kind and soothing word.

What greater luxury can a man possess than a young and
gallant steed, well broke to the saddle, and what can be more
exhilerating or soul stirring than to escape from the con-
fined office, or hot and dusty city, and throw ourselves into the
saddle and gallop over the country and snuff the fresh morning
air. A celebrated physician once said “if there was any oate
for consumption it was in horseback riding.”

" With a glancing eye and curving mane,
He neighs and champs on the bridle rein,
One spring and his saddled back I press,
And ours is a common happiness.

‘There is life in the breeze as we hasten on,
With each bound some care of earth is gone,
And the languid pulse begins to play,

And the night of my soul is turned to day.”’

The American Trotter.

CHAP TE RV":

DIRECTIONS FOR BREAKING THE YOUNG HORSE

‘<oTis the rapture of motion—a hurrying cloud,

When the loosened winds are breathing loud,

And the dizzy earth seems reeling by,

And nought is at rest but the arching sky.

And nature, with all her love and grace,

In the depths of my spirit can find no place.’’
Iper.

TO THE

In breaking the young horse to the harness, you will treat him
in that same quiet and gentle manner recommended in taming
and breaking to the halter and saddle. You will take him into
a large tight stable ; first remove every thing that might tend
to frighten or disturb him ; better to be alone with him if possi-

21

ble, tor the presence of a second person not only attracts
his attention, but often frightens him, and I have always
found by experience that I could control and manage a horse
better and sooner while alone with him, than when assisted by
another person. After he has been in the stable a sufficient
length of time to have eaxmined his apartment thoroughly, and
satisfied himself that there is nothing about the premises that
will injure him, you can fetch in your harness and place it on
him in piecemeals. Work very slow—allow him time to exam-
ine every part before you place it on him, in his own peculiar
manner, by looking, smelling and rubbing his nose on it. The
horse always feels quite interested in these examinations, and
always displays a sort of satisfaction after he has gone throug
with his investigations. And the quickest and easiest way of
breaking the young horse to any one business is, to allow and
encourage him to become interested in all that business he is
about to engage in.

After you have succeeded in placing the harness on him, al-
low him to stand in his stall until he becomes somewhat used to
the presence and pressure of the different parts, and will allow
you to rattle them about, without his caring for them, and will
eat from your hand. Now lead him around the stable for a short
time ; if he appears restless or angry, stop and caress him ; as
soon as he appears quiet, check him up quite loosely, and take
down the lines and drive him around the stable. When he be-
comes familiar with the harness, check and lines, and will start
when told, and stop when bid, and turn this way and that way,
you can take him out into some yard or street and drive him
around ; stop often and talk to and caress him. When you want
him to go tell him to go, and when you want him to stop say
whoa ; always tell the horse in a gentle tone of voice what you
wish him to do; talk to him in plain language, and not talk to your
horse as many of our best horsemen oftendo. They will say,
for instance, go along, whoa ; whoa, go along ; back, whoa; and
whoa, back. Now how in the name of common sense is the poor
horse to understand what they want? He is told to go, and in
the same breath he is told to stop—told to stop and at the same
time told to go, and often receives the lash for doing as he is bid.
How can any reasonable man expect his horse to obey when ad-
dressed after this manner? The horse is not a fool ; he is often

22

possessed of superior talents to many of his more favored mas-
ters, and if he was only possessed with the gift of speech like
Baalam’s Ass of old, would often be capable of giving their mas-
ters useful and important lessons on the treatment of the horse,
The horse not only soon learns to comprehend what we say to
him, but also understands our gestures as well as the different
expressions of our countenances, As soon as he will allow you
to drive him around the yard or street, and obey you as in the
stable, you can place him before a good strong sulky. It is ab-
solutely necessary that you have a good strong. harness, as well
as all other fixtures in breaking the horse. Many good and yal-
uable young horses have been ruined by having some part of an
old rotten harness or carriage give way while driving, to say
nothing about the limbs broken and lives lost by the occur-
rence. *
Give him time to examine the sulkey, turn it round, let him
smell of it and touch it with his nose, and stand by it until he
does not care for it. Now let him stand directly before the
sulkey, while some person stands on the right side and holds him
by the bit, while you stand on the left side facing the sulkey.
Now run your left hand back until it rests on his hips, and then
lay hold of the shafts with your right hand, and draw the sulkey
very gently up until the shafts are square over him, and then
let them down very gently and place them in the shaft-bearers.
Assoonas they are in place, shake them so that he may feel them
against hissides. Ifhe will bear them without searing, fasten your
tugs and side straps. Now lead him around untilhe becomes used
to the presence and motion of the sulkey, and then gradu-
ally work back with the lines in your hand, until youget behind
the sulkey, and then drive him around ; stop often and carass
him, and feed him from your pocket. It is very important that
your horse should go gentle the first time you hitch him up.
After you have driven him in this way a short time, he appears
docile, you ean, while he is walking along, gently draw yourself
up into the seat, and all will now go well. After you have walk-
ed him around a short time there is not half the danger of his
becoming frightened ; give him a short drive before the sulkey
every day until he is perfectly gentle, and then you may plaee
him before any other light carriage, or by the side of another
broke horse, and if you are breaking him for the farm, or for

23

hauling heavy loads, you can gradually increase his load until
he will draw any reasonable amount without once knowing that
he has the power or ability to do otherwise. After your horse
is sufficiently broke to the harness you can either allow him to
carry his head as nature may dictate, or by a humane and prop-
er use of the “check rein,” bring his head and neck into what-
ever position your judgment or fancy may dictate; but never
allow your horse to stand for any length of time in that restraint
and unnatural position that the check rein often places him
in. Always use in breaking the young horse a bridle without
blinds. Allow him to see everything moving about him. The
horse will often become frightened at what he can only half see,
when if he could vere. a plain view, he waolt gee nothing to'be-
come frightened at. |

In driving the young horse, the cern care ‘hootd be taken
to keep each pace clear and distinct from each other. While
walking he should be made to walk, and not allowed to trot.
While trotting, as in walkiag, care must be taken that he keeps
steadily at his pace, and not allowed to slack into a walk. In
driving always keep your reins snug.’ Whenever you push him
to the top of his speed, keep him well in hand and the reins
snug; that he may learn to bear well on the bit, as itis by means of
the reins chiefly that the horse, when going a high flight of
speed, is kept steady in his pace.

The art of driving well, cannot be taught by any written in-
structions; practice and ingenuity can alone make a skilfull
horseman. The young horse should be driven every day ata
moderate pace two or three smiles, occasionally crowding him to
the utmost stretch of his speed; by doing this, he, if possessed
of the right metal, soon acquires a relish for those “ bursts of
speed,” Care must be taken that while you are endeavoring to
develop his powers in the trot, that you must not neglect his
other paces. This is my method or system of taming and
breaking the young horse, and I have never failed in one in-
stance in making the most wild and vicious horse perfectly true
and gentle.

CHAPTER VI.

A NEW AND ORIGINAL SYSTEM OF EDUCATING THE HORSE;
WITH DIRECTIONS FOR TEACHING HIM FORTY
DIFFERENT TRICKS.

«To steeds has nature with transcendent art
Lent human feelings and a human heart.
They recognize their rider from afar,
And neighing, hail the chief renowned in war;
Or if in death he fall upon the plain,
They groan, lamenting o’er the comrade slain.’
CyRREGETICS OF OPPrany.

I NEXT proceed to give you my system of educating the
horse. This system is wholly originaL with me. Indeed, it
would have been impossible for me to have borrowed any part
thereof, from any other work of the kind, for it is well known
to every one at all conversant with the literature of the day,
that there is not at the present time one single work published
on Educating the horse. Neither has there ever been, and for
this reason I now propose to take a few steps in this before
untrodden but inviting path which leads to this neglected and
unexplored field of labor. And as the present period is one of
almost a “horse mania,” anything relating to, or that will in
any way tend to improve the horse, add to his beauty, speed
or usefulness, render him more safe or companionable, will be
eagerly sought after. The horse is not only one of the most
beautiful animals that inhabit our globe, but the most intelli-
gent. Man has not yet dreamed of the amount of natural tal-
ent possessed by the horse, or the mental culture that he is
susceptible of.

25

We often read, in works of fiction, of the marvelous exploits
of the almost human intelligence, displayed by the horse. But
“truth is often stranger than fiction,” and was never more fully
demonstrated than by the horse. The different feats and tricks
that he has been taught to perform, are really astonishing, and
the man capable of teaching the horse all of those wonderful
and mysterious tricks, would have been considered a few years
ago in league with the devil, would have been convicted of
witchcraft, and executed according to law, “in such case made
and provided.”

Many of the readers of this work will no doubt remember
the “ White Pilgrim,” a fine little cream colored horse that I
educated some seven years since, and I cannot give a better
idea of what the horse is capable of being taught, than to here
insert a short sketch of his performances, taken from the Sé.
Lawrence Republican, published at Ogdensburgh, and copied
into most of the leading papers throughout the county :

Written for the St. Lawrence Republican.
ONE OF THE HORSES.

ooo

Hermon, October 8th, 1854.

To the Editors of the St. Lawrence Republican :

During my wanderings a short time since, [ chanced to stop
at Hermon. Hearing while there of Dr. Sutherland’s learned
colt, had the curiosity to go and see him, and found him a
prodigy in learning, besides being quite a curiosity. The doc-
tor calls him the “ White Pilgrim.” He is only three years
old; his color is light nankeen, white mane and tail, and white
eyes. He isa splendid little horse. The doctor tells me that
he has owned him only six months—rode or drove him almost
every day, (as he has kept no other horse, and his ride is con-
siderable, they inform me,) but still during that brief time, he
has broke him to the saddle and harness, and taught him the
different feats I saw him perform, such as standing upon his
hind feet, jumping the whip, kneeling down, lying down, sitting
up and walking on three legs. He will unbuckle a common
saddle girth, and take off his own saddle; he will step up to his

26

own master, make a very low bow, shake hands, take his cap,
coat and mittens off, and lay them away, and when told, bring
them all back to him again. With cards he will tell his age,
the days in the week, months in the year, &c. With the alpha
bet, he will spell any simple word put out to him: Spread out
a number of playing cards, and he will fetch the one called for.
He will play a good game of “old Sledge,” and beat you as
often as you can him, and tell your fortune if requested. He
will waltz around his yard, with quite as much ease and grace
as some of our country gentlemen, and pass around the hat for
a contribution at the close of the performance. Beat this who
can!

There is no humbug about this, and any one can see the
same at any time by calling on G. H. Sutherland, of Hermon,
St. Lawrence County, N. Y. He isa rare specimen of horse
flesh, and his equal, I think, for beauty, activity and intelli-
gence, could not be found, considering the labor performed by
him and the short time he has been under discipline; and the
doctor certainly deserves credit of being a great horse man.

. Yours in haste,
A SUBSCRIBER.

T have now at the present time (1861) a small black horse
colt, some months old, that is really a “prodigy” in learning.
I call him “Orazy Joe.” He is grandson to that celebrated
trotting stallion, “Grey Eagle,” on the father’s side, and also
grandson to that equally celebrated trotting stallion, “Tom
Jefferson,” on the mother’s side, and considering the age and
time spent in educating him, he is really a wonder, and to give
you some idea of what a colt some four months old is capable
of being taught, I will here insert a notice of his performances
when only four months old, taken from the Courter & Journal
published at Canton, St. Lawrence County:

MIRACLES WILL NEVER CEASE.

Many of our subscribers will no doubt remember reading the
account of Dr. Sutherland’s learned horse, “ White Pilgrim,”
that he educated some six years ago. By many the feats and

27

tricks that he would perform were considered miracles, and he
was no doubt a highly educated horse.

But the doctor tells us that he has now a four year old mare
that he calls “ Crazy Jane,” that will step up to a table and
take a game of “Old Sledge” with any person, and play as fast
and correct as most men, besides spelling any simple word put
to her, tell her age, days in the week, months in the year, &c.,
and perform many other feats both curious and interesting.
The doctor has also a young colt by this same mare, some four
months old, that he calls “Crazy Joe,” that is really a prodigy.
He will now not only play at cards, spell, count, answer ques-
tions, by nodding and shaking his head, but perform many oth-
er curious feats too numerous to mention.

If any one should be in the least credulous about the truth
of these statements, he has only to call on Dr. Sutherland at
his residence in Hermon, N. Y., who would be most happy to
remove any doubts, by exhibiting his learned horses.

My success has been such in taming, breaking and educating
the horse, that after being often solicited, I have at last con-
sented to make it public. I have endeavored in writing this
part of the work, to make it both interesting and useful, and if
it should be the means of making that noble animal more use-
ful, and better his condition, I am amply rewarded.

CHAPTER VII.
TRICK isr—TO COME WHEN CALLED

WILL be the first trick or feat to teach the horse after he has
been properly tamed and broke to the halter. This trick is
very soon taught to the young horse, and will not only serve
as a sort of stepping-stone to other tricks that follow, but it is
a very pretty and convenient accomplishment for any young
horse to possess, besides adding materially to his value. To
teach the horse this trick and many of those that follow, it will
be necessary to provide a small training yard some 30 feet
square, or what would be still better, one with eight sides, or
eight square ; let it be surrounded with a high tight fence, so
high that the horse will not even think of breaking out; have
the ground inside well littered with straw, saw dust or tan bark.
If you should not wish to go to the expense or trouble of
building such a yard, a large stable with the stalls removed will
answer a very good purpose. Indeed a person could teach his
horse many of those tricks in any common stable. Next pro-
vide your pocket with a few handfulls of corn, or a few cookies,
so that you will be able to pay him well for every time that he
obeys, or makes an effort to obey. In educating, as in taming
and breaking, better to be all alone with your horse, if possi-
ble, and treat him always with the most affectionate kindness.
Never allow yourself to get angry or out of patience with him.
Never use the whip unless absolutely necessary to make him
obey you, and then very gently. All being now ready you will
take your horse into his training yard or stable, splice out his
halter with some small rope or cord to some 15 or 20 feet ; you
will now take hold of the cord with your left hand and with a
long “bow whip” in your right; stop some six feet in front of

29

him, and then address him with, come Charlie, or eome Kitty,
(always calling your horse by his name), and at the same time
hit him lightly around his fore legs with your whip, and then
by means of the cord lead him up to you. Now talk to him,
pat, caress and give him a few kernels from your pocket; al-
ways speak to your horse in a pleasant manner, tell him what
you want, repeat the same words or sentences every time in
connection with the same act or actions, and he will soon
learn to comprehend what you say. Every time that you call
on him to come to you, call him by his name, and hit him around
the fore legs with your whip. When he walks up to you drop
your whip and caress him. Now gradually work back by tak-
ing hold nearer the end of the rop¢; as soon as he will walk up
to you when called, or at the crack of the whip, you can take
off his halter and turn him loose in his yard, and he will now
not only hurry up when called to receive the caresses and corn,
but he has likewise learned that this is the only way of escape
from the lash; repeat these lessons often until he will come to
you from any part of the yard at the crack of the whip, and
then you can take him into the field or street, and he will fol-
low you around like some pet lamb without your saying one
word, merely by the motion of your whip. By the humane and
timely use of the whip, you can compel him to perform any of
the following tricks which makes it a certainty, and you will
never be disappointed. First, gain his love by kindness, and
then you can mould him as you would a child, into whatever
form you may choose,—that is if you are composed of the
proper material and understand “ Horseology.”

CHA PTE RV AID.
TRICK 2>—TO MAKE A BOW.

To teach your horse to make a bow, it will not be necessary
to take him into your training yard—any common stable will
answer a very good purpose. For teaching this trick and many
that will follow, it will be necessary to provide yourself with a
small rod, something like a small walking cane,—a gentleman’s
walking cane would answer every purpose; let the lower end
be brought to a point.

While your horse is standing in your yard or in the stable,
step in front of him and address him with, good morning Char-
lie! or good day Jenny! (or whatever his name may be,) and
at the same time touch him quite hard with the point of your
rod in the breast, and he will instantly make a grab with his
mouth for the rod. This will produce a bow like motion of the
head—this you are to take for a bow; now caress him, and give
him a few kernels of corn from your pocket, or a bit of cookie.
Repeat this several times each day, and he will soon make quite
a genteel bow merely by addressing him with good morning or
good day. If he should hesitate at first in making his bow, you
could touch him (unnoticed by any one) near the point of the
shoulder with the end of your right thumb. This is quite a
pretty little trick, and is very readily taught to almost any
horse. Ifyou should think of educating your horse, or if you
should only think of teaching him a very few tricks you would
do well to take him into his yard once or more times each day
as you have leisure or inclination, and commence with the first

31

trick, and rehearse them over from first to last several times
at each exercise. The horse is not the only animal that can be
educated. The same system or rules can be applied in educat-
ing the ass, mule, dog, sheep, hog, goat, deer, and almost any
other animal of the brute creation.

CHAPTER IX.
TRICK 3:v—TO SHAKE HANDS.

To teach a horse to shake hands it will not be necessary to
take him into your yard; any common stall or stable will an-
swer every purpose. While your horse is standing in his stall
or yard, step in front of him and address him with “Come,
Charlie, give me your foot,” or “ Come, Jimmy,” (or whatever
his name is,) and at the same time hit him lightly several times
on his fore leg with your rod, or until he will commence to
strike or paw, and when he does this you will reach out your
hand and take hold of his leg, and bring it forward and hold it
for a short time, while you caress and feed him from your
pocket.

Repeat this several times each day, and your horse will soon
reach out his foot and shake hands with you merely by speak-
ing or extending the arm, as in the act of shaking hands. This
trick is very soon taught to a young horse, and when your
horse will walk up to you, make a low bow, and shake hands
with you, it certainly looks friendly in him, if no more.

In teaching the horse to “come when called,” or to “shake
hands,” and many or most of the tricks that follow, you can
adopt any sign or signal that you may choose, to make your
horse come when you wish, or make a bow, or shake hands,
only have it understood between you and your horse, and in
this way those standing around cannot tell by what means it is
accomplished.

For instance, you can instruct your horse to come to you at

* the crack of the whip, or shake hands by extending the hand,

>

33

and make a bow by snapping the fingers, and not be under the
necessity of calling upon them in words to perform certain
feats or actions, which make it appear more mysterious and in-
teresting to spectators.

CHAPTER X
TRICK 4tu—TO KNOCK AT THE DOOR

In teaching the horse to knock at the door, you will use the
door of your yard, or construct a temporary door for him to
practice upon. Now place the horse before the door upon
which you wish him to rap, and, standing on the near side, you
will tap him lightly on the left fore leg, as in teaching him to
shake hands, and call upon him to knock on the door. This
will cause him to strike or paw with his foot, in anger perhaps,
and by placing him at the proper distance from the door, he
will strike it with his toe. For this you must caress and re-
ward him, and by frequent repetition he wtil soon learn to
knock upon a door as certainly and as knowingly as many of
our “spiritual rappers.” This trick is scarcely entitled to the
name of trick, and is of itself rather a simple affair, but when
united with others that follow, it adds materially to its value.
In this place we merely teach the horse to knock on the door;
before we get through, we shall teach him not only to knock
on the door, but to unfasten, then open it, pass through, and
shut the door behind him; the whole of which make a splendid
affair.

In educating your horse, you will often succeed better to
take him into your training yard, and rehearse the different
tricks already taught him, on an empty stomach, or when he is
somewhat hungry, as he will then be more anxious to obey, in
order to receive the little rewards in the form of corn,
crackers or cookies.

35

In rehearsing the tricks, commence at the first, and rehearse
them in order, as you have taught them. In calling upon your
horse to perform different tricks, always speak in a plain, dis-
tinct voice, call him by his name, tell him what you want; if to
lie down, tell him to lie down.

Always use the same language, or as near as possible, in
connection with the samé requests, and the horse soon learns
to comprehend what you say.

CHAPTER XI.
TRICK 5—TO STAND ON A TABLE.

You will commence teaching the horse to stand on a table
by first making him step upon some strong box or platform ten
or twelve inches high, and after suitably rewarding him in or-
der to make him yield cheerful obedience, you can gradually
increase the hight of your box or platform until he will rear up
and place his feet on the top of a strong table, or even higher
if required. Ifyou should be so disposed, you can soon teach
your horse to rear up and place his fore feet in the “tail end”
of a wagon, (constructed for the purpose,) or any common low
cart or wagon, and allow himself to be drawn around. This
ean be done by first making him place his fore feet in the back
end of any strong sled or sleigh, and then with caresses, &e.,
keep him quiet while he can be drawn around. Repeat this
often, gradually increasing the hight of your carriage, until
your horse will rear up, place his fore feet in the back end of
any strong cart or wagon, and allow himself to be drawn
around. By the same gradual process you can soon teach one
of those small Lilliputian ponies not only to place his fore feet
upon a common table, but leap upon it with all four of his feet
as readily as a cat would leap upon a counter. Since you will
want a good strong table for teaching this trick and many oth-
ers that will follow, I here annex the description of such an one
as you will find convenient, and will answer: all purposes for
which a table will be needed.

Perhaps the best plan would be, first; to make a common

37

strong table, some thirty inches high, and three feet square.
Let the legs be three inches square, and the top of inch and a
half plank. This will make a table sufficiently strong to allow
any small horse to place his fore feet upon it. Place an inch
board fourteen inches wide, edgwise through the centre of
your table, then divide one side of your table into three steps
or stairs about three inches high, and six inches wide. In some
of the tricks which follow, such as playing cards, &c., these
steps or stairs will be found very useful to spread the cards
upon.

CHAPTER 211.
TRICK 6ru—TO CIRCLE AROUND.

Take your horse to his training yard or some large room.
You can remove the bridle or make it fast to asurcingle placed
around him for that purpose. First start him on the walk
around the yard, and after he has made two or three circuits
of the yard, you will say to him “Go the other way, sir,” and
at the same time turn him with your whip and send him the
other way. Stop him often and caress and feed him. Repeat
as often as may be necessary, at different rates of speed, until
he will circle around at full gallop, and turn this way and that
way, at the crack of the whip or word of command. Repeat
this often, stopping him every few moments while you caress
him and feed him from your pocket. As soon as he has learned
to have implicit confidence in you, and feels assured that you
will not injure, but reward him, for quick obedience, he may
be taken into the open field or street, and he will soon learn to
circle around you without bridle or halter. This is an easy. but
important trick, beeause it is readily understood by the horse,
and will furnish a good criterion to determine whether he has
acquired the willingness and confidence necessary in his sub-
sequent training.

Be very cautious about the use of the whip, or harsh lan-
guage, remembering that perfect, cheerful obedience is your
object, and that can be secured only by great patience and
gentleness. This trick not only serves as a connecting link in
our chain, but is of itselfa beautiful accomplishment for the

39

young horse; for there is perhaps no way in which the horse
can so well display his activity, or beautiful proportions, as in
circling around his master, turning this way and that: to say
nothing of removing both halter and bridle, and then having
your horse gallop around yon, turning this way and that, a
readily as when restrained by the rein.

CHAPTER. XI111.
TRICK %rsa—TO JUMP THE WHIP.

Tue best place to teach the horse to jump the whip, is in
your training yard; but you can succeed very well in any com-
mon yard, or even in the street, but it is not so pleasant. You
will first make several holes with a large augur, in your yard
fence, some twelve inches apart, one above the other, like the
holes in a farmer’s buck-board. Then place on your
horse a bridle with a running rein, and _ provide
yourself with a small rod some eight ro ten feet
long, of good, smart timber, and about the size of a
common rake-stail: All being now ready, you will draw your
rein, and start your horse on the gallop around you, and as he
passes around the yard you will place one end of your rod in
the lowest hole in the fence, while you hold the opposite end
in your right or left hand (as will best suit your convenience)
and call upon him to “Jump the whip!” and as he passes back
and forth between you and the fence, he will have no alterna-
tive but to jump this rod or whip; and as your rod is quite a
light affair you can use it as you would a whip in driving him
around, until he gets near the holes, and then you can carry it
forward and place the end in one of the holes and allow him to
leap over. Aiter leaping the rod several times back and forth
stop, caress and reward him. When he will jump the rod in the
lowest hole, gradually raise it higher, until he will jump the
hight you may wish.

Repeat this lesson several times at each training, until you:
horse will leap back and forth over your rod without touching

41

it, and then remove your bridle, or, what is often a better plan,
make the reins fast to a surcingle placed around the body for
the purpose, and compel him to pass around the yard and jump
the rod as he passes back and forth, When your horse will
leap this rod when called upon to do so, you can gradually sub-
stitute smaller rods and at the same time instead of placing one
end in one of the holes, hold it now and then firmly in your
tand. In this way you can very soon dispense with the holes
eitirely, and instead of the small rods you can now use any
long bow whip, and your horse will now gallop around the
yard and leap back and forth over the whip, with bridle or hal-
ter on, with all the grace of the deer.

’

CHAPTER XIV.
TRICK Srs—TO JUMP THROUGH THE HOOP.

BrErork teaching the horse to jump through the hoop, it is
necessary that you first teach him to “jump the whip.” At
any rate you will commence teaching him to jump through the
hoop, by instructing him (if you have not already done so,) to
jump this same rod as directed in the trick preceding this.
When he will leap this rod without his bridle on, or with the
reins made fast to his surcingle, you can commence to instruct
him in jamping through the hoop. To do this it will first be
mecessary to place a small post in the ground, with holes
through it to correspond with those in the fence. Some place
this post eight or ten feet from the fence, having the hole op-
posite those in the fence. Now place one end of your rod in
the fence, and instead of holding the other in your hand as be-
fore, pass it through one of the holes in the post some two feat
from the ground. Next prepare a large hoop; let it be six
feet ormore in diameter; fasten this at the bottom by a strap
to your rod while you hold the side next you with your left
hand. You will now send your horse around the yard as be-
fore, making him jump over the rod and through the hoop at
the same time. After he has jumped through the hoop a num-
ber of times be very gentle with him, caress him and allow him
time to breathe. Repeat this exercise several times at each
training, and your horse will soon jump back and forth through
this hoop as readily as over the rod. You willnow gradually
reduce the size of the hoop, until he will not hesitate to jump
through one of only sufficient size to allow his body to pas

43

through with ease. If you should wish to add still more tothe
beauty of this feat by attaching strips of paper to the inside of
the hoop, while he is practising jumping through, you can in
this way soon cover the whole inside surface of the hoop (like
a drum head,) and he will leap through as veadily as before.
But this astonishing feat may be rendered still more brilliant,
by lighting the center of the paper one moment before the horse
is ready to pass through, and he will not hesitate, but “lay
back his ears,” and plunge through the flame.

CHAP’? ERX
TRICK 9ta—TO LIE DOWN.

To teach your horse to lie down, it will be necessary you
should take him to some smooth and level piece of ground, or
you can train him in a large stable, but the floor must be well
covered with straw or tan bark. In teaching the horse to lie
down you will stand on the near side, take hold of the rein
near the bit with your left hand, while you take up and hoid his
left fore leg with your right. Now call upon him to le down,
while you gently draw his head in the direction where his fore
foot would stand, and his fore foot in the direction where his
hind foot stands. Keep gently drawing his head and foot in this
direction. When he straightens up or turns around, allow him
to do so, but the moment he gives away again follow him up,
while you continue calling upon him to lie down. Keep pa-
tiently at work, and he will soon lie down of his own accord,
or allow youto push him gently over with your shoulder.
While he is down caress and feed him, straighten out his legs,
rub his limbs until he becomes perfectly quiet, and appears to
be well rested, and then allow him to rise. Repeat this opera-
tion two or three times at each training, until the horse will
lie down as soon as told to do so. When he will not lie
down readily at the word of command, you may gently
pull his head down and back, and tap him lightly on the leg
until he will obey. Making the horse lie down is a powerful
means of subduing him. When you compell him to lie down,
you conquer him, he acknowledges you his master, and will
ever after obey you. It is sometimes desirable to hold a horse

45

down, and this may be accomplished by stepping on his mane
with one foot, while you place your knee on his withers, and
turn and hold his nose upward. Ifyoushould wish to perform
some painful operation on your horse, it would be necessary
in addition to making him lie down, to secure his limbs with
proper ropes or straps.

CHAPTER AVI.
TRICK l0trs—TO LIF DOWN—ANOTHER METHO!

You will sometimes meet with a large and powerful animal,
as perhaps you may lack the physical strength necessary to
control even a small and docile horse ; and for such instances
I insert “ another method” of making the horse lie down. It
is upon the same principle practiced by Rarey the great horse
tamer; but it is rather a harsh operation, and not without
danger to the horse, and should never be resorted to except in
extreme cases.

To teach your horse to lie down by this method, take
him to some smooth place, your training yard, ora large stable
with the floor well littered. Put a strong surcingle around his
body, and then fasten one end of a long strap or rope to the
right fore leg just below the fetlock, while the other end passes
back through the surcingle under his belly. This will keep the
strap in the right direction. Then bend up his left fore leg,
and place a soft strong strap around it in such a manner that he
cannot get it down. All being now ready, you will place your-
self at his left side, take hold ofthe bridle near the bit with
your left hand, while you grasp the strap with your right, (or
you can pass this strap or rope toa second person who will
stand behind you.) Now steadily pull on his bit in the direc:
tion his fore foot would stand, and at the same time pull gently
on your strap while you call upon him to lie down, and at the
same time lean quite heavily against his shoulder. This will
soon cause him to move. The moment he lifts his weight from

47

this foot, your pulling will raise the same foot, and he will be
obliged to fall upon his knees. If you keep the strap tight in
your hand, he cannot straighten his leg if he raises up. Hold
him in this position while you bear against his shoulder, and in
a very few moments he will lie down. As soon as he has done
so, remove your straps, straighten out his legs, caress and feed
him, and after he has rested a few moments, allow him to get
up. By repeating this a few times you will have no trouble in
making him lie down as directed in the preceding chapter. 1!
have never yet found a horse but that I could make lie down
without resorting to this method, and I have known some val-
uable horses materially injured by repeatedly falling upon their
knees while fettered in this manner.

CHAPTER XVII.

TRICK lirs—TO KNEEL DOWN.

In teaching the horse to knee! down, take him into your
training yard, stable, or any other convenient, smooth place,
either on the ground or a floor well littered. The horse will
not readily kneel upon hard ground or on the bare floor, be-
cause his knees are very sensitive or tender. After teaching
your horse to “lie down” it isa very easy matter to make him
kneel. You will proceed as in teaching him to lie down, only
you will call upon him to kneel instead of lie down. As soon
as he drops upon his knees preparatory to lying down, stop
him in this position, caress and reward him. By frequent rep-
etition he will learn to kneel at once when told to do so, or by
any familiar signal you may choose to adopt. If your horse
has not been taught to lie down he can be taught to kneel, but
not as readily. You will stand on the left side, rather in front,
of him, or with your horse’s head at your left elbow. Then
take the horse by the bit with your left hand and gently draw
his head down and back while you hit him lightly onthe fore
leg with your rod, and call upon him to kneel down. He will
soon come down upon one knee, and then the other. As soon
as he gets upon both knees, caress him and reward him with a
few kernels from your pocket. Repeat this often, and your
horse will soon drop upon both knees when called upon to do
so, or from any particular signal you may adopt. If you wish,
you can now make your horse kneel for you to mount or dis-
mount, or for the purpose of placing burthens on his back, like
the poor camels on the barren deserts of Sahara.

OH APT WR keV, Bd E.

TRICK 12cn—TO SIT UP.

TAKE your horse to sore convenient place and first make
him lie down. In order to make the horse sit up, you are to
call to mind his peculiar way of getting up, when not disturbed.
He first turns on his belly, throws out his fore feet, and raising
himself on them springs forward and rises on his hind feet.

You will take the advantage of him, and compel him to sit
up in the following manner: After you have made him lie dowr.
you will place yourself on the near side, turn or roll him on his
belly, straighten out his fore feet in front of him, and throw the
reins over his head, and hold them as in riding. Stand with
your right foot upon his tail. Now tell him to sit up, and as
he rises upon his fore feet, by taking a firm hold of the reins
on either side of his neck, you can prevent his giving that
spring forward, and retain him in the sitting posture ; stop him
in this position by means of the reins and your weight upon his
tail. Keep him only a few momenis in this position, while you
pet, caress, and give him a few kernels from your pocket. Re.
peat this exercise several times at each training, and your
horse will very soon, when rising from his recumbent position.
stop upon his haunches as readily as a dog.

This is one of the prettiest tricks that can be taught the
horse, and before we close we shall be able to make the horse
sit down with other gentlemen and take a friendly game of old
Sledge. In training the horse to perform this, and many of the
accompanying tricks, it requires tact more than strength. A
mere boy, if he only possesses that peculiar tact, or instinct
you may callit, is capable of controlling any common young
horse, and for the benefit of the few who may lack these neces-
sary ingredients, I insert another method.

/

CHAPTER XIX.

TRICK 13ra—TO SIT UP.—ANOTHER METHOD.

- To teach the horse to sit up, it may sometimes be necessary
to resort to artificial means to control him. The horse may be
a large and powerful animal, or the person training him may be
deficient in physical strength, or may not possess the tact or
skill requisite to control the horse, as directed in the first meth-
od. For such instances I here insert another method. You will
commence (as with the other method) by taking your horse into
your training yard, or some other convenient place. Put on him
« common hame collar, and make him lie down, Then take some
small rope or strap ; make one end fast to his right hind leg be-
low the fetlock, let the other end pass between his fore legs and
through the collar. Now proceed (as in the other method) to
turn or make him roll on his belly, and straighten out his fore
legs in front of him. Throw the reins over his neck, and place
your right foot on his tail. Then take a firm hold of this strap
with your right hand, (or you can give it to an assistant who
will stand behind you,) and call upon him to sit up, or get up.
By holding him firmly by the bridle, as in the preceding trick,
aid pulling gently upon the strap at the same time, you can ea-
sily control the most powerful horse, and keep him in the sitting
posture as long as you please. As soon as he rises upon his fore
legs, stop him, caress him,and feed him from your pocket. Keep
him in this position a short time, and then allow him to get up.
Repeat this a very few times, and you will have no trouble in
holding him in the sitting posture, as recommended in the other
method. There are very few horses, if any, but that can be held
\without this extra help, if managed by a person possessed of the
proper skill and judgment, as it requires more tact than strength *
in performing these feats with the horse.

CHAPTER XX.

TRICK 14ra—TO WALK ON THREE LEGS.

You will commence teaching the horse to walk on three legs
by stepping before him and taking him by the bit with your
left hand, while with your right you hit him lightly on his left
tore leg with your rod. This will make him take up his foot,
but he will put it immediately down again, and then you wil!
hit it again as before. Follow this up for a short time, hitting
it every time he puts it down, and stopping and caressing him
whenever he holds it up, until he will hold it up whenever you
make a threatening motion with the rod. Repeat this quite
otten, call upon him to hold up his foot, every time, before you
hit or make a motion to hit him. When you can make him hold
up his leg some little time, you can commence teaching him to
walk. While you are holding him (as betore directed,) and he
is standing upon three legs, call on him to come to you; and at
the same time gently encourage him to walk, while you threaten
his leg with your rod if he puts it down. In this way he will
soon take one or more steps. As soon as he takes the first step
stop, caress him and feed him from your pocket. Give him one
or more lessons each day, making him walk a little farther each
time. In this way your horse will soon follow you around the
yard.

This trick requires considerable patience and practice before
your horse will walk off glibly on three legs. If you choose you
can in the same manner teach your horse to hold up any foot
and walk on the other three. When you get your horse well
_trained to walk on three legs, so that he will “go lame.” or “play
lame,” by some sly signal that you can adopt, unknown to those
not in the secret, and hold up any one leg when told, even the
hind ones, and walk on the other three, your horse is nearly
doubled in value, even if he should not understand any other
trick. You are well paid for every hour spent in training him,
as this is one of the prettiest tricks a horse can be taught.

Cbd: PAVE Ri eT yu
TRICK 15ra—TO STAND ON HIND LEGS.

You can teach the horse to stand on his hind legs in your
training yard better perhaps than in any other place, as the sta-
ble as a general thing would not be of sufficient hight, and in
the street you could not so well control him.

You will commence by placing on your horse a bridle with a
running rem, and then with a long bow whip, you will step in
front of him and call upon him to “stand wp,” and at the same
time hit him lightly around the fore legs with your whip.- If
he should run back, follow him up and continue calling upon
him to stand up, while you hit him around the fore legs with
your whip. As soon as he becomes angry he willrear up; then
you will ‘stop, walk up to him, caress and feed him. Allow him
to stand a short time, or until you have become friends again,
than repeat the same until he will rear up whenever called upon
to do so, whether by words or threatening motions of the whip.

Then you will commence to instruct him to stand up for some
little time. This you will do by calling upon him to stand up,
and when he rears up endeavor to make him stand some little
time by callang upon him to stand up, by threatening motions of
your whip, orif necessary hitting him quite hard around the
legs. At first you only required him to rear up, and rewarded
him for it. Now you not only require him to rear up, but to
stand some little time. Whenever you can sneceed in making
him stand, if but for a moment, stop, caress and reward him
well. Repeat this several times at each traiming, and in a very
short time your horse will rear and stand some little time.

This trick requires considerable practice before your horse
will stand tor any length of time, but it is much sooner taught
than you would at first imagine. The pony, or young colt, is
much sooner tanght than the full grown horse ; but time, pa-
tience and perseverence, will enable you to succeed in nearly
every instance. This is quite a pretty trick to teach the young
horse, but when united with his fellow, the next in order, it is
really a splendid affair.

CHAPTER: XXII.
TRICK lérs--TO WALK ON HIND LEts.

To teach the horse to walk on his hind legs, it will be best
to take him into your yard. Commence by putting on the bridle
with the “running rem,” and then make him “stand up.” Call
on him to come to you; and at the same time with your long
rein gently encourage him to take one er more steps in advance.
If you fail in the first attempt, try again; keep trying in this
way, until your horse will take one or more steps, and then stop
earess him, talk to him and pay him well from your pocket.
Repeat this as you have the other tricks, making him take at
first perhaps one step, then two, then three, and so continue
until he will follow you around the yard. This trick requires
considerable practice before your horse will walk around his
yard with ease and grace. But time and practice will at last
always succeed, and when your horse will straighten himself up
at his full length, and walk around his yard without bridle
or halter, does not the sight well pay you for every hour spent
in educating him? Besides, you may perhaps have added hun-
dreds to his value. To teach a horse this trick as well as oth-
ers in this work, labor slow; be very patient; dont undertake
to educate your horse in one day, or one week. Commence
with one of the tricks, and teach him that well, and then take
another, and so on. Improve every opportunity by taking your
horse into the yard, or some other convenient place, and rehears-
ing the different tricks you have taught him. It will perhaps
be impossible to teach every horse to stand on his hind legs, to
say nothing of walking, but the most of them can be taught ;
but there are some few that appear to lack the necessary bal-
ancing powers or are not sufficiently tractable to learn.

CHAP TER Mik Ld:
TRICK lita—TO SAY WES.

To teach the horse to say “yes,” or nod his head when you
wish him to answer “yes,” you will stand on the left side of your
horse, holding him, (if he should need holding,) with your left
hand, while you hold your rod in your right. Nowask him any
simple question. You will say for instance ‘‘ Charlie, do you
hike corn?” or “Fanny, do you want some oats?” and if you
want your horse to say “yes,” touch him lightly near the point
of the shoulder with your rod, at the same time that you ask
him the question. This will make him instantly nod, or make a
sort of bowing motion with his head, as he grabs with his mouth
for your rod. This: you are to take for a nod, and caress him
and pay him from your pocket.

This you will repeat at every convenient opportunity, and
your horse will soon nod his head by a very slight motion of
your rod. Soon you can substitute the right thumb for the rod,
and he will answer any question that those standing by may ask,
merely by a shght touch of the thumb, or perhaps the motion
of the hand may be sufficient to make him say “yes,” or nod.

This simple trick is very soon taught the horse, and tends
as inuch, if not more than any other one trick, tomake the horse
appear intelligent, When you can make your horse (by some
simple signal that you can adopt) answer promptly any question
put to him, you have added to his value ten times the amount
paid for this hook.

CRAP Tah XRT Vit

TRICK 1§rs—TO SAY NO.

To TEACH your horse to say “no,” or shake his head when
you wish him to say no, you are to stand on the left side of
him, ask him some simple question, as, for instance, “Charlie,
do you like straw?” or, “Kitty, do you know that man?” and
at the same instant that you ask the question, give his neck a
strong grip or squeeze just back of the ears. This will cause
him to shake his head, (perhaps rather awkwardly at first,) but
you will take it for a “no,” and caress and pay him well. Re-
peat this at every convenient opportunity, and your horse will
soon shake his head quite naturally. by asking him some ques-
tion and giving his neck a very slight squeeze, or perhaps by
merely laying the hand back of the ears. ‘When your horse
will shake his head by your placing your hand directly behind
the ears, take hold of his neck a little farther back, and contin-
ue removing the hand farther, until he will answer questions
by being merely touched upon the back. You can now, while
standing beside your horse, throw your arm on his back and
while he is being questioned (if you should want him to say
no) give his back or withers a gentle, (and to the bystanders
an imperceptible) squeeze, and your questions will be satistfac-
torily answered; and those looking on will not be able to see
how the feat was accomplished. You can now, if you choose,
adopt some little signal, (that you and your horse will under-
stand,) and your horse by promptly answering all questions
addressed him, will appear almost to possess reason.

CHAPTER X KY.

TRICK 19rs—TO WALTZ.

AFTER your horse has been taught to. “circle around,” you
may easily teach him to waltz. To do this, it is necessary that
you take him into your training yard. It would indeed be im-
possible to teach him in any other situation. You will com-
mence by taking him into his yard and removing his bridle or
making it fast to his surcingle.

Now, with your long bow whip in your hand, start him on
the walk around the yard. When he has gone some half way
tell him to “turn the other way,” and as soon as he has got
fairly turned, call upon him to turn the other way. This will
send him again the way he first started and makes one of the
“turns” in waltzing. Repeat this several times each day, mak-
ing him walk around his yard, perhaps at first making only one
such turn in going around, then two, then three, until he makes
as many turns as you wish. At first let him ‘walk the figure,’
then trot, and very soon he will take a slow gallop around his
yard, and make the necessary turns. This trick is very soon
taught the horse, but it requires much time and practice before
he will waltz with ease. But time and patience will overcome
every obstacle, and soon by having proper music, you can so
regulate his speed and motion, that he will waltz around his
yard and “keep step with the music” with as much ease and
grace as many of our country gentlemen.

In learning the horse to make his turns in waltzing, you will
teach him to obey the whip, instead of the voice. Stop him
with your whip by stepping a little forward and holding your
whip before him, then turn him with your whip, and send him
on again with your whip, and by using a very little ingenuity
in the motion of the whip, he can soon be taught to make all
the turns in waltzing.

This is a splendid trick when well acted, and the horse being
a great “lover of music,” soon learns to “keep step” and be-
comes as much excited in the dance as many youngmen. This
is the last trick in this class. In this class of tricks, the horse
does not use his mouth in any instance, but in the following
ones he will make use of his mouth in all or most of them.

CHAPTY@ER’ ZAXAYV I.
TRICK 20xr—TO PICK UP THINGS.

To TEACH the horse to pick up things with his mouth is the
first trick in this class. This trick is the foundation, the start-
ing point, for all those which follow. Without teaching the
horse this one trick, it would be impossible to teach him even
one of the following tricks. But teach him this one, and all the
others follow naturally, each one made easier by the one pre-
ceding it. In teaching your horse this trick, it will often be
necessary, (if he should be in any way inclined to be vicious,)
first to make him fast to his manger with his halter, if not you
ean allow him to stand without tying. Then place yourself on
the near side of your horse, with your rod in the right hand,
and some article that you wish him to pick up (an old hat or
cap for instance) in your left. With the point of your rod now
prick or touch him just back of the shoulder, until he becomes
really angry and will try to bite or get hold of yourrod. Then
by holding the old hat near to, or over the place indicated, he
will as he becomes angry and while endeavoring to get hold of
your rod, seize the hat with his mouth. As soonas the horse
takes hold of the hat, you must let go of it and allow him to
take it. Stop now and caress him and talk to him. When you
have become friends again repeat it in the same way. The
moment he seizes the old hat let go of it, and caress him.
When your horse will readily seize the hat in this situation you
can commence holding it in different places. Hold it for in-
stance some six or eight inches from his shoulder, then a little
farther off, until he will pick it up if thrown upon the ground.
You will now throw it on the ground or in his manger and cal!
upon him to pick up your hat, or any other article that you
may have substituted, and if necessary touch him with your
rod, or perhaps by this time a touch of the thumb or a motion
of the hand will be sufficient. When your horse will readily
pick up any article that you may call upon him to, you will not
regret the little time and trouble spent in teaching him.

GCHAPTER SRVIEF.

TRICK 2lst—TO HOLD THINGS.

AFTER your horse has been taught to “pick up things,” you
can very readily teach him to hold them, after he has taken
them up. In teaching your horse to “pick up things,’ you re-
warded him for merely picking them up. That was all you
asked of him at that time. But now you wish to teach him to
hold it in his mouth after he has picked it up. We may as well
take the “same old hat’ in this case as before. Now, when you
call upon him to “pick up this hat,” he will take it up, but drop
it again immediately. You will now call on him the moment
that he picks it up to “hold it,” and continue making him pick
it up, and calling on him to hold it, until he will hold it suffi-
ciently long for you to take it from him, and then you will
stop, take the hat from him, and reward him with a genile pat
or a few kernels from your pocket.. Repeat this often, until he
will not only pick up the hat, but hold it, and as he learns that .
he will receive no reward unless he holds the hat until you take
it from him, he will soon pick it up and then by actions ask you
to take it, that he may receive the reward in store for obedi-
ence.

You will require him to hold it a little longer every day, un-
. til he will pick it up and hold it any length of time, or even

walk around the yard while holding it. You can now. substi-
tute other things in place of the hat, a mitten, basket, whip, or
any article you may choose.

This is a very nice little trick for any young horse to under-
stand, and after your horse will pick up different things, hold
them, and carry them around, you can accustom him to per-
form many of the tricks already taught, such as jumping the
whip, jumping through the hoop, while holding different arti-
cles in his mouth.

OCHAPTER XXVIII.
TRICK 22xo—TO OARRY AND FETCH THINGS. .

AFTER you have taught the horse to pick up and hold differ-
ent articles, you will next commence teaching him to go to dif-
ferent parts of his yard and fetch things, and then carry them
away. This is very easily accomplished by taking the same
‘‘old hat,” or some other article, and first throwing it down be-
fore him, and then calling on him to “take it up.” This he will
very readily do, for which you will reward him. Then throw
the hat off some two or three feet, and call on him to “fetch your
hat,” and if necessary threaten or touch him with your rod,

Repeat this quite often, throwing the hat a little farther off
every time until he will fetch it from any part of the yard.
When he will fetch different articles from any part of the yard,
you can commence teaching him to pick up different. articles
and carry them away. You can take the same “old hat’? and
throw it on the ground, and then call upon him to “pick it up,”
and when he has done so you will with your whip send or
guide him to your table, and then stop him until he drops it,
and make him stand in such a position that when he drops it it
will fall upon the table. Now call on him to “come to you.”
Reward him with a gentle pat, or some soothing words, and
then repeat it as before until he will pick up or take any arti-
cle you may wish, and by pointing with your whip send
him to the table, and there leave it as readily as a child. In the
same way you can send him to any particular spot or place by
‘merely pointing in that direction with your rod or whip.

CHAPTER XXIX.
TRICK 23xn>—TO TAKE OFF CAP, COAT AND MITTENS.

To teach the horse to take off cap, coat and mittens, and car-
ry them away when ordered, and bring them all back to you
again, it is necessary to take him into your training yard, or
some other suitable place. You will commence in the first
place to teach him to take off your hat, and then carry it away.
This you will do by taking the “same old hat,” first throw it on
the ground and then call on him to get it, or pick it up, and
when he has picked it up,:you will send or direct him with
your whip to carry it to the table, and make him stand in such
a position that when he drops it, it will fall on the table. Now
call upon him to come to you again, and you will caress and
reward him. Repeat this often. Then make him take it from
your hands, and finally from your head. When he will do this
readily, place some large mitten on your hand, and then call on
him to take it off. When he makes the attempt, you can shut
up your hand within the mitten and allow him to take hold with
his teeth and pull it off your hand. Now send him, as before
directed, to the table. After giving him some little practice
in taking off and carrying away your hat, cap or mittens, you
can teach him to take off your coat.. You will provide your-
self with some old coat, have it quite large for you, and let the
sleeves come well down over the hands.

First let him take it from your hands and carry it away.
Next throw it over the shoulders, and then call on him to take
off your coat. You can now put it on and when he reaches out
to take hold of it you can hold out your arm and then draw the
arm back into the sleeve a little, so as to escape his teeth, and
-at the same time it will give him a good opportunity to get
hold. Now as he pulls to get the coat you can turn yourself
around and carefully draw your other arm out, and your coat
is off. Send him away as before directed. When he will take
off your cap, coat and mittens, and carry them away, you cap
‘send him to the table where your things are deposited, and
then call on him to bring them to you. This he will do very
readily, and you must not fail to reward him with a friendly
pat or a kind word, when he obeys. ‘

CHAPTER: XX-Z.

TRICK 24rs—TO UNBUCKLE SADDLE GIRTH AND TAKE OFF
SADDLE.

To teach the horse to unbuckle his saddle girth and take off
his saddle, you will first provide yourself with any common
saddle. Place on the end of the saddle girth a very large,
heavy buckle; cut away the leather around the tongue so that
it will play quite loosely. Next splice down the strap that
goes into this buckle, so as to bring the buckle low down, a lit-
tle below the saddle skirt. Make the holes for receiving the
buckle tongue very large, and have this strap when the girth is
buckled up pass through the buckle some six or eight inches.
You will now place the saddle on his back and buckle up the
girth quite loosely. Place yourself on the near side of your
horse, with your right hand hold of the skirt of his saddle, and
call on him to “take off his saddle,” while with the rod in your
left hand you touch or prick him just behind the shoulder.
This he will take as a hint to “pick up something,” and having
his attention drawn towards his shoulder by the rod, he will
see, or you will call his attention to, this strap, when he will
readily seize hold of it with his mouth, and as he will pull to
get the strap, the buckle being quite low, as he pulls he will
rather pull up; this will cause the buckle tongue to drop out
of the hole, so that when he lets go the strap the weight of the
girth with the buckle will cause the buckle to slip off the strap,
and your girth is unbuckled. Now caress and reward him with
a gentle pat, or a few kernels from your pocket. Repeat this
quite often, gradually changing the buckle for one of a smaller
size, and likewise gradually raise the buckle up, until you can
use a common buckle, and have it in the proper place. When
your horse will unbuckle the saddle girth, you can teach him
to take off his saddle. This you will do by first placing the
saddle hghtly on his back and then call on him to “take off his
saddle ;” and at the same time touch him with your rod. He
will now reach for the saddle, and when he takes hold you .can
assist him by gently pulling it off his back. Repeat this a very
few times and he will soon unbuckle the girth, and then take
hold of the saddle and pull it off, and then you can direct him,
asin trick No, 22, to carry it away.

CHAPTER. XX XI.
TRICK 25txa—TO OPEN AND SHUT THE DOOR.

In teaching your horse to “open and shut the door,” you
can use the door of your yard, or any other common door.
Place on this door a common hasp and staple, as you would
have them made for a padlock, but instead of using a padlock,
use a wooden pin. Have it rather short and fit it quite loosely.
Fasten a strap to the head of this pin some six or eight inches
long, and another to your door to serve as a handle for pulling
the door open. Now call upon your horse to open the door,
and send him with your whip, as directed in a former trick,
to the door, and then with your rod or whip call his atten-
tion to the strap attached to the pin. He will take hold of
it, and as he attempts to fetch it away he will pull it
out of the staple and your door is unfastened. For this
you will suitably reward him; and then call upon him
again and send him as before directed to “open the door.”
You will this time call his attention to the strap fastened to
the door, which he will readily seize and when he attempts
to bring it away as before he will pull the door open.
Repeat this at every convenient opportunity, and your horse
will soon, when called upon to “open the door,” walk up to it,
pull out the pin, and then seize the other strap and pull it open.
You will teach the horse to shut the door by placing him at a
proper distance behind the door, and then call upon him to shut
the door, but at the same time direct him to strike the door
with his fore foot, as directed in a former trick, until he sends
the door together or shuts it. By repeating this quite often,
your horse will soon learn in shutting the door that he can ac-
complish it much more easily by walking against it with his
shoulders. This is not a difficult trick to teach, and when your
horse will walk up to the door and gently rap on it with his
foot, then pull out the pin, pull the door open, walk in, turn
around, and close the door behind, his manners will appear much
more cultivated than many of our country gentlemen.

CHAPTER: XXXII.
TRICK 26ru—TO PUMP WATER.

To teach the horse to pump water from a well, first construct
a temporary pump that will work very easy, and place it in any
convenient place. Ifin your yard, place it against the wall, so
as not to be in the way while exercising your horse. Cover the
handle with cloth, or some soft leather. You will now call on
your horse to pump some water; and as he has already been
taught to take hold of different things, he will not hesitate when
called upon to take hold of the handle of your pump. You will
now call on him again to pump water, and with your “rod”
direct him to take hold of the handle. This he will readily do ;
as soon as he grasps the pump handle, you will again call on
him to pump, but at the same instant give him a hint with your
“rod” in the breast to make a bow. While he is holding the
pump handle in his mouth, you will compell him to bow two or
three times, and then stop, caress and reward him.

Repeat this at every convenient opportunity, and your horse
will soon when called upon to pump water, walk up tothe pump,
seize the handle in his mouth, and then by repeating those
bowing motions, pump almost as naturally as a person.
Soon you can take him to any common easy working pump, and
place a pail under the spout, and your horse will take hold of
the handle and pump the pail full of water. Asa general thing
the handle should be covered with cloth or some soft leather, so
as not to @jure his mouth or teeth. This is a beautiful trick,
and after one has seen it executed thé story once told of the
horse that when dry would go to the pump and fill the trough
with water, will not seem as fabulous as it was once considered
and “ the truth will look even stranger than fiction.”

CHAP TARY (XX RTT:
TRICK 27trs—TO FIRE OFF A PISTOL.

To teach a horse to fire off a pistol, you will place a block on
your table, and then make your pistol fast to the top of this
block, by means of proper straps; then attach a small cord to
the trigger, and let it hang over the edge of your table, with a
large tassel atthe end. Next put on your pistol a percussion
cap, and call on your horse to fire off the pistol; and at the
same time direct him to take hold of this tassel. This he will
readily do, but the moment he gives the tassel the slightest
pull “‘ pop goes the weasel.” Repeat this often, and gradually
add a little powder, until when your horse when called on to fire
off the pistol will walk up to the table, seize the tassel, and fire
off the pistol when loaded with a full charge. You can now
for a change, place the pistol on some high post, or on the top
of your fence, and teach him to rear up, place his fore feet on
your table, and then reach up and take hold of a tassel proper-
ly attached and fire off the pistol, or instead of making your
pistol fast to your table or post, you can hold it in your hand
with a suitable string and tassel attached to the trigger, and
then when called upon to “fire off the pistol,” he will walk up
to you, seize the tassel in his teeth, and fire off the pistol, and
will often make quite a good shot at a target, placed on the op-
posite side of his yard (provided that you hold the pistol in a
proper position.) This is avery simple trick to teach the horse,
but often affords a fund of amusement. .

In teaching the horse these different tricks, you should al-
ways speak to him inapleasant voice. Tell him what you want,
by using the same language in connection with the same re-
quirements. He soon learns to distinguish what you pean and
anderstands what is wanting when you call on him to “lie down,”
“sit up,” “pump water,” or “fire off a pistol,” as readily as the
ox understands what is required of him when he hears you say
haw, gee, or whoa.

CA ACE eR Re oe a oe BOW

TRICK 28rxs—TO RING THE BELL.

To teach the horse to ring the bell, take some small dinner
bell and flatten the handle, and then cover it with several thick-
nesses of cloth or leather, so that your horse can conveniently
hold it in his mouth, and then call on him to “ring the bell,”
and at the same time direct him to take hold of the handle, and
now by causing him to make quite a number of bows in quick
succession, he will ring the bell very naturally; or you can
have your bell rigged in a suitable frame, as you see them on
ears and boats, and then by placing them on your table or yard
fence, with a cord and string properly attached, as directed for
firing off the pistol, you can send your horse to ring the bell,
and when he has got a firm hold of this cord, you will cause
him to make a number of bows, as directed above, and he will
ring the bell with ease. By repeating this at every opportuni
ty, your horse will soon, when called upon to ring the bell,
walk up to the table, pick up the bell, and ring it with all the
ease of a country porter.

In teaching the horse the tricks in this class, it is not neces-
sary to Seed every time he obeys, as he is now sufficiently
trained to be compelled to obey, which ‘will be more pleasant,
but you must not forget to treat him with the utmost kindness,
and often reward him with an encouraging pat or soothing
word.

CH PPR x RXV;
TRICK 29rs—TO FIND HIDDEN THINGS

Take your horse into your training yard, or some other large
room or yard. You will now take “the same old hat” and
throw it off some little distance, and call on him to find your
hat, and send him for it as directed in a former trick. When
he fetches the hat, you will reward him from your pocket.
Now throw the hat a little farther away, and send him as be-
fore, then farther, and continue throwing it a little farther each
time. Then throw it in different directions; first one way
and then the other, which will often require him to walk around
his yard in different directions to find them. In this way he
will acquire a habit of looking and searching for hidden things
until he finds them, and you must be careful to reward him
from your pocket nen he brings the hat. When your horse
will search, find and bring your hat from any part of the yard,
you can commence teaching him to find this “same old hat”
when secreted or hid. To do this, you will now cover his eyes
with your hands, while some one throws the hat as before, and
then remove your hands and call on him to “find your hat ;”
this he will soon do. Now while you cover his eyes, let some
one, after throwing the hat some little distance, cover it slight-
ly with straw, not so but that he will readily see it, then call
on him, as before, to find it. Gradually add more straw or
some other litter until it is entirely concealed from his sight,
and your horse will still find it. Itis not necessary that your
horse should always see the hat to find it. The sense of smell
in the horse is so remarkably acute, that he can recognize the
presence of his master or any article that he has been accus-
tomed to smell, at a great distance. For him to find and un-
cover things that are hid, it may often be necessary that he
should paw or use his feet. This he will almost instinctively
do. If not, you can soon teach him, by “standing,” as in a
former trick, and making him strike his paw, as in knocking on
the door, until he brings it to view.

CHAPTE ROX XXXVI.

TRICK 307h—TO TELL HIS A B Cs,

In teaching the horse his A B Cs, you will place the right hand
end of the table, as you stand facing the steps, against some wall
or fence, while you stand on the near side of your horse, with your
horse between you and the fence. Next provide yourself with the
alphabet printed in large letters on cards. The best plan for fur-
nishing yourself with those cards, would be to take a pack of com-
mon playing cards and print the different letters of the alphabet on
the back of them. Now place on your table some three or four of
those cards, A BC, for instance. Place them equi-distant from
each other, bend them slightly, so that when you spread them out
on your table they will roll up a little, which will enable your
horse easily to take them up with his mouth. Now you will call
on your horse for some one of those cards, B, for instance, and at
the same time give him to understand, by means of your rod, that
he must pick up some one of those letters. Ifhe should pick up
the letter B, or the one called for, all right, and you will make him
reach over and drop it upon the other side of. the table; but if he
should attempt to pick up the C or A, you will bring your rod for-
ward from the back of his shoulder to the card, and prevent his
taking itup. Repeat this exercise over and over again at each
training, until he will readily select the letter called for. The horse
very soon learns to pick up the cards spread out before him, by
merely speaking to him, or by some sly motion you may adopt,
and when he picks up the wrong letter, (as he often does), he will
soon learn to drop it the moment he sees your motion to bring the
rod forward. It is generally sufficient, after a short time, to stand
on the near side of your horse, holding your rod before his breast,
and then, as you are teaching him, if you call for any letter and he
does not readily obey you, you can carry your rod back and touch
him back of the shoulder, orif he attempts to pick up ‘the wrong
one, you can soon teach him to pass it over, or drop it if he has
picked it up, by pressing your rod hard against his breast, as you
would in trying to make him back up. In this way any one standing
by cannot tell by what means you instruct him to select his cards.

Notr.—The above trick, besifles many that follow, are all taught upon the same genera! principles,
and could have been arranged under one general head; but for the benefit of those who may think of
educating sheir horses for the purpose of travelling and exhibiting them as “educated horses,’’ I

jnsert them under separate beads

OB AD EIR) aor T
TRICK 3lst—TO COUNT OR SELECT DIFFERENT NUMBERS.

PLACE yourself, your table and horse, in the same position as
directed in trick No. 30. Take a pack of common playing cards,
and prepare them for use, by printing the nine different figures
on the back of them. Let your figures be large. Now place
your cards ina pack, and bend them slightly, so that when
you spread them out on your table they will roll up a little.
Put some five or six of these cards on your table, and then let
some person present call for one of those numbers, and you will
direct your horse to pick up one of them. If he selects the one
called for, “all good,’ and you will make him reach* over and
drop it on the other side of your table, or let the one who called
for 1t take it from his mouth ; but if he attempts to pick up the
wrong number, you will make him pass over it or drop it as di-
rected in the preceding trick. Repeat this often, and your horse
will soon select the numbers called for, and either reach them
to the person questioning him, or drop them on the opposite
side of the table, with as much facility as a child. While
training your horse in the tricks where you use cards, it is not
necessary that you feed him; he now understands more or less
what you say, and all he needs is to be encouraged now and
then with a friendly pat, or kind word.

CHAPTER \XXXVIII.
TRICK 32np—TO SPELL.

In teaching your horse to spell, you will use the same cards,
nd your horse will take the same position around the table‘as
1 trick No. 30. Take some twelve or fourteen of those cards,
ad bend them slightly, and then spread them on the steps,
aree or four on each step, Now let some person present put
ut any simple word, such ‘as cat, or dog, or any word that the
orse can spell with the letters on the table. Suppose (to u-
istrate) that he is asked to spell the word cat. You will now
ive your horse to understand (by means of your rod or other-
rise) that, you want him to select one of those cards. He will.
ommence to pick up the card, and you will stop him with your
od whenever he attempts to, or picks up the wrong card, as
irected in trick No. 80, In this way you will make him first
elect the C and reach it over and drop it upon the opposite
ide of the table, then the A, and then the T. In this way he
vill spell any word put out to him, by selecting the letters im
rder, as they come in the word, and dropping them on the oth-
r side of the table. Repeat this exercise often, and your horse
vill soon walk up to the table, and select the cards, to spell any
ommon word that may be pronounced to him, provided always
is master is capable of spelling the same word.

CHAPTER: XX 2A

TRICK 33rp—TO READ.

The horse can be taught to read words or sentences, by the
same rules used in teaching him to count or spell.

Place your table, yourself, and horse in the same position as
directed in trick No. 30. Take enough cards to include the
whole twenty-six letters, and bend them up as before directed,
and spread them out on your steps. Let some person hand na
word written or printed on a slip of paper This you vill place
before the horse on the table, and then call upon him to read it.
This he will now very readily do, with your assistance, by se-
lecting from the letters placed before him on the table. Sup-
pose (to illustrate) some person hands in aslip of paper with
John Doe written upon it. Your horse will spell it by first pick-
ing up the J then the O then the H and so on, until he would
spell out the entire word, which, when placed in the order they
were picked up would spell J-o-h-n D-o-e. In the same manner
he would read any word or sentence handed in, or even read
from a book, but rather slowly. And if you should not sueceed
in making your horse talk like “ Baalam’s Ass,” he would be able
to read the “ hand writing on the wall.”

CHAPTER XL.

TRICK 34rs—TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION IN THE MULTIPLi-
CATION TABLE.

To teach the horse to answer questions in the multiplication
table, you will take the same cards used in counting, bend and
spread them on the table in the same manner, and have your
table, your horse, and yourself, in the same relative position.

The same general rules will apply in all the different tricks
where we use the cards, but for the benefit of those who are
expecting thoroughly to educate their horse, or think of travel-
ing with him.as a trained horse, I shall, under all those tricks
give a few examples to illustrate the management of the horse.
. All being ready, let some person ask one of the multitude of
questions in that table ; for instance, two times four are how
many? or eight times. twelve are how many?., In this
way you can ask the horse any amount of questions you
may think proper, and with your rod or otherwise, di-
rect him how to select. the answers; always making him drop
them on the opposite side of the table. Where one figure will
not answer the question, as in eight times twelve, you will in-
struct him to first take up the card with the figure 9 on it and
pass it over, then the 6, which when put together in the order
selected will make 96. In this way he will be able to answer
any question in the multiplication table.

This is a very nice little trick, and affords quite a fund of
amusement, besides making your horse appear almost a Zerah
Colburn in mathematics.

OB APT 8B Km 2
TRI€K 35ra—TO ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY AND DIVIDE.

In teaching the horse to add, subtract, multiply and divide,
you will use the cards with the figures on them, place your ta-
ble, and take the same position around itas recommended in
trick 80; bend up your cards and spread them out on your
steps. Now let some person present ask some simple question
in any of the ground rules of arithmetic; for instance: 2 and
4 are how many? 3 from eight leaves how many? Twice 2
are how many? Divide 6 pennies equally among 3-boys how
many will each receive? Here, you will discover, is a question
in each of the four rules, which your horse can readily answer
with the numbers before him. To illustrate, let some person
present ask a question in this way: Charlie, or Kitty, add 2
and 6 together, how many will it make? Now, you will give
him to understand he must pick up one of the numbers, and at
the same time direct him (as in trick 30) to pick up the 8,
which answers the question. You can also vary the questions
in an endless variety of ways, to suit your fancy. Where
one number will not answer the question, you will direct him
to pick up two or more, in the order they should stand to make
the answer, as in trick 81; or you can provide yourself with
quite a number of cards with figures from 1 up to to 20 or
more. This trick, when well performed, is a splendid thing,
and when your horse will, from some secret signal, walk up °
to the table, and promptly select from the cards spread out be-

fore him,a correct answer to the different problems proposed,
he is certainly entitled to the name of a “learned horse.”

CHAPTER, X11.
TRICK 361a—TO BRING THE CARDS CALLED FOR.

TAKE a pack of common playing cards, bend them slightly,
and then spread them, face side up, on your table. Perhaps
the better way, at first, would be to spread out only 8 or 10 at
one time. Place them on your steps in rows, equi-distant from
each other. Now let some person present call for any one of
those cards before him. For example, some person present
will say, “Charlie, or Kitty,” (or whatever his name may be),
“‘sive me the Queen of Diamonds,” You will now call on your
horse to pick up the Queen of Diamonds, at the same time give
him a touch with the point of your rod, or perhaps your thumb,
to pick up one of the cards before him. If he should select
the Queen, all right; and you will perhaps pat him on the neck,
or caress him until some other card is called for. If, instead
of selecting the Queen, he should make a pass to pick up some
other card, you will stop him, as directed in trick 30, or you
can adopt any other signal or watchword to prevent his pick-
ing up the wrong card. Different teachers can adopt different
signals, as their fancy may direct. The main object is to have
whatever signal you adopt, understood between you and your
horse, and unknown to spectators. Repeat this exercise at
every training and your horse will soon learn to select and
pass over any card that may be called for. Now, place at short
distances around the yard or room, all the different cards in the
pack, and then, as above, let any one call for one of those
cards, and you will start your horse on the walk around the
yard and whenever he comes opposite the card called for, you
will, by some signal you may adopt, cause him to stop, pick up
the card, and bring it to you; or youmay send him, as direct-
ed in trick 22, to the person calling for it.

UL A a eR, es ae

TRICK 3irs—TO TELL HIS AGE, DAYS IN THE WEEK, MONTHS
IN THE YEAR, &c.

In teaching the horse to tell his age, days in the week,
months in the year, &c., you will place your table as in spell-
ing, and you and your horse will take the same position as
there recommended. The horse will tell his age, and answer
such other questions as you may choose to ask him, with cards
prepared for the purpose; or you can use the same cards you
had while teaching him to count, or you could take quite a
quantity and number them from one up to twenty-five or fifty.
Now take your cards, bend them up slightly, spread them out
on your table, as in spelling. Let some one now ask him his
age. If he should be two years old he will select the card with
the figure 2 on it, if six years the figure 6, and so on. Suppose,
to illustrate, some person present inquires of him the number
of days in the month, and you are not provided with cards of
so higha number. He will now select and reach you the three
and then a cypher, which will when put together make 30, the
number of days in the month. Inthe same way he will tell
you the number of days in the year, by selecting the 3, then
the 6, and then then the 5. Repeat this as you would the other
tricks, and your horse will ina very short time answer any
question put to him, (provided always his master or teacher is
qualified to answer the same questions,) and to vary the per-
formance, and make it still more amusing, you can now and
then, while exercising him in this trick, practice trick number
17 and 18, or yes and no. For example, ask him if he can tell
you how many days there are in the week; he will answer yes;
well, tell me how many, then, &e., &c.

CHAPTER XLIV.

TRICK 38ra—TO TELL FORTUNE.

Tuis amusing trick is taught the horse in the following man-
ner: Place your table as directed in trick 30; spread out on
the steps your alphabet, and also your numbers; now let some
person who is anxious to have the future revealed to him, take
the “anxious seat.” The person wishing his fortune told, can
now ask the horse the following questions, or any others the
horse would be able to answer by nodding or shaking his head,
or with the letters or numbers before him, as, “How many
years before I shall marry?” “How many children shall I
have?” “Will the person I shall marry be rich ?”’ “What is the
first letter of his name?” “Whatis the color of his hair or
eyes?” &c. In this way they would ask your horse any num-
ber of questions, and (with your help) the horse would be able
by bowing, shaking his head, and with the cards, to answer any
of the above questions, and as many more as their fancy or in-
genuity can invent. By repeating this trick for some length
of time your horse will be able to unfold the future and fore-
tell “coming events” as correctly, and with as much certainty,
as any of our “celebrated fortune tellers,” and with far less
compunction of conscience. This trick, like many of the oth-
ers, can, with a very little ingenuity on your part, be varied in
an almost innumerable multitude of ways, to suit the fancy of
those present, or the circumstances under which you are
placed.

CHAPTER ALY.
TRICK 39ma—TO PLAY CARDS.

To teach the horse to play cards, or in other words, to take a
““eame ot old sledge,” you will, first place your table against the
wall, or fence.

You will stand on the right side of your horse, while he stands
between you and the fence, with the table before him, while the
person playing with him. will take a seat on the opposite side of
the table. All being now ready you will commence by first
“ cutting fordeal.” The person managing the horse, will shuf-
fle, cut and deal for him. After the cards are dealt, you will
run over his cards. The begging, giving, and making a trump,
you will decide for the horse, but you can ask him whether he
begs, gives, or wishes to make a trump, and he can answer
yes, or no, which will make it still more amusing. When all’
matters are settled, and you are ready to commence playing, the
person playing will now take his seat in the chair, and you will
first bend, then spread out his hand on the steps. The table
should be so constructed, that the person playing cannot see the
cards belonging to the horse. Ifthe man should play first. he
will commence by throwing down some one of his cards on the
side of the table next to him, and then you will direct your
horse to “ follow suit,” by selecting the proper ecard, and reach-
ing it forward and dropping it on the opposite side of the table.
You will of course direct him in selecting as already taught in
several tricks before this. By repeating this trick at every con-
venient opportunity, your horse will soon sit down to the table
with a friend, and go through with all the different parts of the
game, with as much correctness and dispatch as “an old black
leg,” and will beat the best of players, as often as they can
him. :

The “ Paddy” when told there was a horse in town that would
play a regular game of cards, expressed himself by saying “may
the divil have the man who larn’d him.”

OBAP TER 2 LVL.
TRICK 407H—TO PASS AROUND THE HAT.

Your training yard would be the proper place to teach the
horse to pass around the hat, or in other words, to take up a
contribution. This will be the last trick given in this work, and is
calculated expressly for those horses that are to travel in the
cireus, or as educated horses.

This is nothing more than a combination of different tricks.
Perhaps the best way to teach the horse to pass around the hat,
would be to station several persons, equi-distant around the in-
side of the yard; let them stand near the fence ; place your
hat on the, table, inside up, so that when he takes hold of it with
his mouth, it will be “right side up,” or in shape to hold the
change. You will now cail upon him to “ pass around the hat,”
or ask him to take up a contribution. You will then send him
to the table, and direct him to take the hat, and then send him
around the yard, (by a certain signal, with your whip or other-
wise.) You will make him stop, as he comes to different per-
sons stationed around the yard. Whenever they drop in the
change, you will cause him (by some hint that he will under-
stand) to make quite a low bow, and then pass on. By giving
your horse a few lessons in this way, he will soon, when called
npon to pass around the hat, walk up to the table, pick up the
hat, and then pass around the yard presenting it to different in-
dividuals for their change, and rewarding the different donors,
with one ot his best bows, until he has made the entire circuit
of his vard, and then place the hat again on the table. This is
a very nice little trick for the conclusion of vour performances,
and is very soon taught the horse.

Nors.—Many of the feats, or tricks, contained in this work will no doubt to many
look like impossibilities. What! the horse read, spell, count, add, substract, multi-
ply, and divide, play cards, tell fortunes, fire off a gun, &c.? Impossible! Yes, he
can do, and has been taught all of these, and even more. I have taught the horse all
the different tricks contained in this work, and: the directions contained in this book
for teaching the horse, can be relied upon ascorrect. They will never disappoint you.
They are the result of careful study, and long experience, in the management of the
horse. Ifthere be any doubt concerning the truth of my statements, I should be ex-

tremely happy to have the privilege of removing any such doubts, by exhibiting my
“* trained horse.’”

Oa ACP TER? xe 4/14

A NEW SYSTEM OF CURING OLD AND VICIOUS HORSES OF
BALKING, KICKING, REARING, AND RUNNING AWAY.

My system of breaking and curing the vicious horse, is
founded (as I stated in the commencement of this work) on the
principle that Adam’s fall did not in the least possible manner
affect his horse. The horse, with other created things,when
first placed upon this earth, was pronounced “good,” and that
too, by a judge who well understood his nature and disposi-
tion, and would not be very likely to pronounce the horse
good that possessed many or all of those different vices, com-
mon to our “broke horses’ of the present day. So you see at
once, all those disagreeable, and often dangerous vices, are not
natural to the horse, but are acquired in different ways in the
course of their lives.

The balky horse was perhaps at first kind and gentle, but
was Overloaded, or put to work with a breast sore or tender
from labor performed the day before. The rearing horse was
naturally clever and quiet, but being spirited and ambi-
tious, instead of caressing him to make him quiet, they applied
the lash. The kicking horse, when first broke, was mild and
pleasant, but perhaps some part of an old harness gave way
and allowed the carriage to come against his heels. The run-
ning horse, like all such horses, was for a long time, perhaps
years, a true and faithful servant, but was placed in the hands
of a person not qualified to manage, or perhaps hold a well-fed
but “well-broke” horse, and his natural and praiseworthy spirit
could not be controlled by sucha person, and the result was in
this, as well as in the other cases, a “worthless and dangerous
horse.” Leta person trace back the history of those vicious -
animals, and he will find in every instance, the first, and the

79

exciting cause, was mismanagement. Intemperance is often
the first cause. The man partially deranged, as drunkards are,
is not capable of managing the horse. It is too often as the
old horse was supposed to say :

‘* When you are sober, I very well know,

You feed very lavish, and ride very slow;

But when you are boozy, I pay for it all,

For you ride like the d—1, and feed none at all.’’

In breaking and curing the vicious horse of his acquired
habits, you will strive to undo what others have done. The
passions, like the muscles, grow strong, or weak, as they are
called into action. That being the case, we should strive to
cultivate his noble nature, and let those useless and acquired
passions lie dormant, and they, like the muscles, when not ex-
ercised, will soon become weak and powerless. Always treat
the vicious horse with the utmost kindness; never use the
whip unless to increase his speed; gain his friendship by ca-
resses, and then you can mould or shape him as you may
choose. The horse that loves you, will not kick, bite, or run
away with you. In breaking and curing the vicious horse, re-
member, ‘the merciful man is merciful to his beast.” The
poor, abused horse, often deserves our sincere sympathy. He
is not the horse now he was by nature, he is the animal of owr
creation, and is very often a much better animal than we could
reasonably expect, when exposed almost constantly to this se-
ries of evils. Instead of wondering why the horse, at the
present time, is so vicious, we should wonder why they are as
good as we find them.

By kindness, applied with judgment, we can cure the worth-
less horse and make him again valuable, and my object in lay.
ing down the directions for the management of the vicious
horse, is to teach the horseman how to apply them to all those
different and varied cases that he will constantly meet while
engaged in the management of the horse. For the convenience
of reference I have divided those vices into four different class-
es: balking, rearing, kicking and running.

Prof. W. 8. Clark, of Amherst, Mass., (a gentleman who has
aided me materially in getting up this new and rather novel
work, for which I return him my sincere thanks,) in his able

80

report on horses, before the Hampshire, Franklin and Ham-
den Agricultural Society for the year 1859, makes the follow-
ing remarks:

‘Finally, we must have better educated horses. It is no lon-
ger necessary, and therefore it is wrong, to use vicious, un-
manageable, dangerous animals, since it has been abundantly
demonstrated that every young horse may be so perfectly sub-
dued and so nicely trained as to perform, up to the extent of
his ability, exactly what an intelligent and reasonable driver
may demand. How greatly would the sum total of human hap-
piness and comfort, to say nothing of safety, be increased, if
our horses were only free from those troublesome and often
alarming tricks, which are the result either of their ignorance
or their insubordination !”

“One horse is almost perfect, but he pulls away when hitched
with anything less than a cable ;—another is very smart and
kind, while you have hold of him, dué if left for a moment to
himself, springs into a gallop and leaves you alone ;—this horse
runs away if his tail gets over the line, which it is very apt to
do, and that one, if anything touches his hind legs;—here is
one of the very best, but goes when and where he chooses;
and closely related to him is another, all right, 7 you can only
manage to tumble into the wagon before he starts ;—this one
kicks, that one bites, and another strikes with his fore feet.
One is rendered unmanageable by the sound of a gun, or steam
whistle, or band of music, and another is terribly afraid ofa lo-
comotive, or train of cars, or even of a railroad track; some
will shy at a stone, or a stump, or a white cow, or a bit of pa-
per, and others at a stage-coach, or a loaded wagon, or a wheel-
barrow ;—one fears a robe, another an umbrella, and another
his own shadow, and so on and so forth, and yet almost every
horse may be broken, in one month’s time, so as to be free
from every one of them, and that without any more use of the
whip than is barely necessary to command his attention.”

CHAPTER: XLVALI.
BALKING IN HARNESS.

‘Qh! if I had a donkey what wouldn’t go,

Do you suppose I would wallop him? Oh, no, no, no!

I would coax him, I would flatter him, I would give him some corn,
And put him in the barn where he would keep warm.”’

Horses know nothing about balking, until brought-into it by
improper management. When the horse balks in harness, it is
not from any unwillingness to perform his duty, but from some
confusion, excitement, or mismanagement. They are willing
and anxious to go, but they are too eager, or perhaps too am-
bitious, to take that steady push against the collar necessary
to move a load, and for their well-intended short pulls, or jerks,
at the load, receive only the curses and lash of the driver, all
of which would prevent their acting with a steady, determind
purpose, and the result must always be, under this course of
treatment, the horse, after making numberless, well-intended
efforts to move the load, at last becomes discouraged, angry,
and refuses to go—baiks. In breaking or curing the balky
horse, first place on him a good strong harness, one if possible
that he has been accustomed to wear, or one of the same style
and finish, so as not to irritate him with any new or strange
pressure. Provide yourself with a few handfuls of corn, or
some other grain that he will relish. Ascertain, if you should
not already know, under what peculiar circumstances he balks.
By knowing this you can very often guard against the evil,
and perhaps prevent the recurrence of the exciting cause.
After you have placed the harness on him, allow him to stand
some little time, or until he has had time to examine it, and be-
come somewhat used to any new or strange pressure; then
take down your reins and commence driving him around. If
he should appear in any way restless, or inclined to stop, stop

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and caress him, and perhaps givehim a few kernels from your
pocket. It is better to stop the balky horse before he stops of
his own accord, if possible. The horse never stops without
giving or throwing out some signal. Different horses have dif-
ferent signals by which they give the watchful driver to under-
stand they will not proceed much farther. Many horses, before
they stop, look back, others drop their tails, while others
perhaps, begin to step short, and gradually settle back into
their breeching. All horses, by some one of the above signals,
or in some other way, give plain and timely warning of the ap-
proaching trouble. Now, by closely watching every motion
of the horse, we can always ascertain in what that particular
signal or warning consists, and by understanding this peculiar
characteristic of the horse, we can always foresee the threaten-
ing evils, and either prevent it entirely, or be prepared to meet
it with less danger to ourselves and carriages than we other-
wise would, Drive him around in this way, stopping him often,
while you caress and talk to him. In talking to the horse,
always speak to him in a low, gentle voice, call him by his
name when you address him. Whenever you wish your horse
to start, stop, or perform any other action, first call him by his
name, and then tell him with a pleasant voice what you want.
When you can drive him around, turn him this and that way,
stop, and start him when you please, there would be no danger
in placing him before a good, strong sulky. First, let him ex-
amine it; work slowly, take your own time. If your horse
should happen to be one of those confirmed balkers, better set
apart some one day for breaking him, and have no other busi-
ness on hand. After you have placed him before the sulkey,
lead him around for a short time, and if he appears quiet, you
may take down the reins, and gradually work back, behind the
sulky. Now, if you can drive him around in this way, stop,
start, and turn him any way you choose, you can, while he is
walking along, gently draw yourself up into the sulkey seat,
and drive him around. Watch him closely, whenever you dis-
cover any of his signals, talk to him, and if necessary stop him,
caress him, and if he again appears quiet, drive him along.
Sometimes it may be necessary to dismount, walk around him,
and perhaps feed him from your pocket. By stopping him be-

83

fore he stops of his own accord, we can often succeed in break-
ing up the habit of stopping. If he should stop (as they often
will) and refuse to go, don’t strike or urge him; lay down
your reins, and allow him to stand ; loosen his check, and bring
the collar forward. The horse, whenever he balks or refuses
to go, if allowed to stand a very short time, without being
whipped or urged to go, will, invariably, begin to grow restless
and uneasy, and perhaps commence to paw, look around, or in
some way give us to understand he is now willing to go again;
and will very soon, if not disturbed, make the eftort to go. This
is another peculiar and never-failing characteristic of the horse,
and any man, in the least conversant with the nature of the
horse, must have noticed this singular trait. Now, the horse
man, by understanding this never-failing characteristic of the
horse, can always succeed in getting him along without resort-
ing to the whip, or any other harsh means. All he has to do,
is to wait patiently until the “spirit moves,” or he is disposed
to proceed of his own accord, and then be ready to “jump
aboard and travel on.” We can often succeed, by caresses and
otherwise, in making him start much sooner than he otherwise
would. All that is necessary in breaking the balky horse, is
to treat him with the utmost kindness, watch him closely,
whenever you think he is about to stop, guard against it, and
if possible, prevent it, or if he should stop, wait patiently until
he is again ready to go, and then be prepared to act with him.
By following these directions you will have no trouble in mak-
ing the most confirmed balker again true and valuable. When
you can manage him without any difficulty before the sulky,
you can place him before any other light carriage, and gradu-
ally add to his load, until he will haul any reasonable load
required of him. Gain his love by kindness. Cultivate his
noble nature, and let those old and useless passions lie dormant
and inactive, until they will become weak and powerless.

CHAPTER, ,XLIX.
KICKING IN HARNESS.

KickING in the harness is one of those dangerous but com-
mon Vices or habits that our horses soon acquire by improper
management while breaking, or, as is often the case, the horse
remains gentle and kind for several months, perhaps years, and
then suddenly acquires the habit of kicking, by having some
part of an old rotten or weak harness give way, and allow the
carriage to come in contact with his heels. Many of those
“confirmed kickers” had better be disposed of at once, at any
price, or even destroyed, rather than attempt to break them,
as many of them would be almost worthless, even if you could
succeed in breaking them. But again, there are some few that
are not only beautiful, but would be really valuable animals, if
you could succeed in curing them of this one vice, and for the
cure of such the following directions are intended. In the
management of the kicking horse, always place on him a good,
strong harness, one that he has been in the habit of wearing,
if possible, for the irritation of different straps from those he
has been in the constant habit of feeling, is sufficient excuse
with many horses to demolish everything behind them if possi-
ble. Whenever you place him before any carriage, let it be a
strong one, the sulky is always to be preferred. Let the shafts
be long, strong and wide. In the first place, ascertain, if you
should not already know, under what particular circumstances
he manifests this vice; what peculiar irritation is necessary to
make him kick, and lastly, how he kicks. Now if you can as-
certain under what circumstances he kicks, you can often
avoid or remove the cause, and by knowing the particular irri-
tation necessary, (perhaps getting the line under his tail,) you

85

can guard against or remove the exciting cause, and then by
knowing beforehand how he kicks, you will be the better pre-
pared to meet the danger. The kicking horse, like the balky
horse, never kicks without giving us some never failing signal
of his intentions. Different horses have different hints or sig-
nals by which they give the intelligent horseman timely warn-
ing. Some horses, before they kick, shake their heads, or
throw back their ears, while others, perhaps, give the tail a
sort of twist or flirt, or cling it tightly down. These charac-
teristic signals of the horse, are fully understood among the
horses themselves. Watch, for instance, a number of young
horses while in the field at play, or even in anger. You will
notice the fact, that the horse, before he kicks, gives his play-
mate, or perhaps rival, a peculiar hint or signal, which he un-
derstands and immediately acts upon by endeavoring to get
out of the way if possible, or prepare himself to receive the
blow from his opponent’s heels. Now the horseman, by un-
derstanding this never failing trait of the horse, can turn it to
good account in the management of the horse.

In breaking the kicking horse, place him before a strong sul-
ky ; treat him with the utmost kindness; first gain, if possible,
his friendship and love by caresses, and by feeding him occa-
sionally a few kernels from your pocket. Lead him around at
first. Watch every motion, until you ascertain what his par-
ticular signal consists in. Whenever he appears in the least
excited, stop and caress him. Stop him if possible before he
commences to kick, and in that way you will often succeed in
breaking up the habit. When you can lead him around, stop,
start, and turn him in any direction, take down your lines and
drive him around. If he kicks whenever he becomes excited,
watch him closely, and keep him quiet. If he kicks by getting
the reins under his tail, (as many do,) you can often remedy this
by docking and pricking, or by using them very carefully, and
keeping the lines away from their tails for some little time, you
can often break up the habit entirely; or you can cure any
young horse of kicking whenever he gets the lines under his
tail, by carefully, cautiously and gradually using him to having
them there. You can at first, while in his stall, place them un-
der his tail, and then pull them out. Repeat this quite often,

86

until he will care nothing about them, then place him before a
strong sulky, and then gently at first place them under his tail.
Repeat this often, or almost constantly, until he will not resent
or resist their being put under his tail, either accidentally or
by design. If he should kick from the irritation of some part
of the harness, or from the whiffletrees striking his heels, you
can in the same gradual way accustom him, if necessary, to
their presence. In all your intercourse with the horse, always
treat him with kindness. Never scold or fret at him; never
fetter or confine him; give him the free use of every limb, and
never use the whip unless to increase his speed. The horse is
not naturally disposed to injure you; he has contracted that
vice by bad management, and really deserves our sympathy in-
stead of our chastisement.

The horse that is kindly treated, if he should in a thoughtless
moment, and perhaps under some temporary excitement, throw
out his signal, as much as to say “look out for your eyes,”
would, after taking a second sober thought, perhaps recall some
one of the many kindnesses received, drop his tail, throw his
ears again forward, in a pleasant manner, as much as to say,
“keep your seat, don’t be frightened, for I am at the helm,
please pardon my thoughtlessness.”

By treating the horse according to the directions laid down
in this work, you will never fail to make the worst kicker again
safe, gentle and valuable.

ChE AED BR Mie,

REARING IN. HARNESS.

REARING in the harness is one of those vicious habits that our
young horses soon acquire, under the management of ignorant,
or thoughtless drivers, especially if they happen to be those
spirited, or ambitious animals, that are all ife. But, unlike ma-
ny other vices of the horse, it is attended with but little danger,
and the horse is soon broke, or cured even in confirmed cases, if
properly managed. The rearing horse, being spirited, was eager
to go, and if not allowed to proceed at once, orif sharply spoken
to, or the whip applied, becomes uneasy and restless, and finally
if not allowed to proceed, rears up perhaps several times, or until
allowed to go. The rearing horse, was perhaps, by nature, one
of the best of horses, but being possessed of an eager and ner-
vous disposition, could not bear restraint unless combined with
kindness, and very soon by improper management contracted
the disagreeable habit of rearing. The rearing horse, like the
balky or kicking horse, has his peculiar signal, by which he
gives the observing horseman timely warning of his intentions.
Different horses, have different signals. Sometimes, before the
horse rears, he commences to paw, snort, or shake his head,
while others perhaps, toss their heads, or champ their bit, or in
some peculiar way, give us never failing warning they will 1fnot
prevented rear up. Now by watching the horse closely, we
can soon ascertain in what his peculiar warning consists, and
either prevent it entirely, or be prepared to meet it in sucha
manner, as will do us the least injury. In breaking or curing
the rearing horse, treat him with the utmost kindness. First,
ascertain under what circumstances he rears, or what particular
irritation is necessary to call out their vice, and by ascertaining
the cause, we can often remove it entirely, and then the effect
will cease. All that is necessary generally, to cure the rearing

88

horse, is to treat him kindly, caress and keep him quiet ; but if
he should happen to be confirmed in his habit some other course
must be taken. Place him before a strong sulky; let every
part of your harness be strong, and if possible, one he has been
in the habit of wearing, so as not to irritate him with any new
pressure. At first, it may be necessary to lead him. Stop of-
ten, and caress him, turn him around, first this and then that
way. Whenever he appears restless, caress him, and feed a few
kernels from your pocket. Watch him closely until you have
ascertained, in what his signal consists, and by keeping an eye
on him, you can easily prevent his rearing, and in a short time
break up the habit entirely. If possible stop him before he
rears, strive to keep him quiet. When you can lead him around,
stop, start, and turn in every direction without his becoming
restless, or angry, take your reins and drive him fora short time
until you can drive him in any direction, and then get on the
sulky. Whenever be rears up (as they sometimes will) go to
his side talk to him, call him by his name, rub his forehead, pat
and caress him, and feed him from your pocket. In this way,
he will soon become attached to you, and would sooner stand by
your side and receive caresses and other rewards than to rear
up and leave perhaps his only friend behind. This vice is
more troublesome than dangerous, and, as is generally the case,
the horse is m every other respect a valuable animal; we are
always anxious to rid him of this one “besetting sin,” as it is so
easily accomplished. By following the simple rules here laid
down, the rearing horse soon becomes safe and valuable.

CHART hha:
RUNNING IN HARNESS.

RUNNING away in harness is another of those dangerous as
well as costly vices the young horse acquires by improper
management. This vice, by many writers on the vices of
horses, is considered incurable, when once the habit is estab-
lished. But by observation, as well as experience, I have
every reason to believe that this vice, as well as others of a
less serious nature, can be permanently cured if treated accord-
ing to the directions laid down in this work. Many of our run-
away horses were for several years perfectly kind; but by
some mismanagement became not only unsafe, but dangerous.
From being valuable animals, they became valueless or worth-
less.

Some horses acquire the habit by first being frightened ;
others by being left unfastened, or not properly fastened, and
allowed to break away and run; while others run from mere
ambition. The driver allows them to get so excited that when
he would fain “slack their speed,” or stop them, he finds, but
too late, he does not possess the neceesary strength to check
them in their headlong speed, and when they are once under
full motion, and no one is capable of checking their speed, then
woe to the harness, carriage, and horses, to say nothing of the
lives and limbs there endangered.

In breaking and curing the run-away horse, treat him with
all that kindness his noble nature deserves. Strive by every
means in your power to gain his love and confidence; let no

90

opportunity escape to caress and flatter him. As soon as you

can get the horse to love you, you have little cause to fear him,

for the horse that really loves his master, will not be very like-

ly to bite, strike, kick, or run away with him, or in any way

endanger his life. If, ina thoughtless moment, while overflow-

ing with life and ambition, he should make the attempt, when

he received the check from the bit, and heard the familiar
voice of his best friend calling on him to stop, would he not be

very likely to heed the voice and submit to the rein of one
from whom he had been in the constant habit of receiving ca-

resses and other rewards ?

In driving the run-away horse, always provide yourself with

a good, strong harness. Many a valuable horse has been

ruined, and numberless lives lost by having some part of an
old, rotten and worthless harness give way. Place in his mouth

a good, strong, curb bit—one capable of controlling, or hold-

ing him if necessary—and then you will be prepared, if gentle

means fail, or some unavoidable accident should occur and he

should attempt to run, you could teach him at once that it is

“thus far and no farther.” When the horse ascertains you
can really hold him, he will yield to the bit, and seldom make

the second attempt, and by treating the horse with great kind-

ness, you soon rob him of every desire to injure you, or flee

from you. While driving your horse, drive very slow. The
horse never runs without first giving his attentive driver time-
ly warning. Some horses, before they start to run, toss their

heads, or give a peculiar snort, while others give their tail a
peculiar twist. All horses, in some way give us to understand
they are about to “be going,” some hint we soon learn by

watching them closely. Ifthe horse runs whenever he be-

comes excited, while driving, drive him slowly, talk to him,

call him by his name, if necessary, get down from your seat

and walk around him, caress and feed him. If company should
prove to be exciting, avoid it at first, and then gradually use
‘him to company. I have never had any trouble in breaking
the most confirmed run-aways. All that is necessary is kind-

ness, patience, judgment and ingenuity. Ascertain, if you do

not already know, under what circumstances he runs; this is

all that is generally necessary, and then by removing the cause,

91

or guarding against it, your horse is soon broke. Ascertain as
soon as possible, what his peculiar hint or signal consists in,
and then, by keeping close watch over him, you can always
foresee the evil, and prevent it entirely, or be prepared to
check him up, or “set him up” before it is too late. By driv-
ing him slowly, and watching him closely, you will be able
always to control him without his once getting the start of you.
Never, trust him one moment; be always prepared to “ set him
up,” if necessary, while you can hold a “ tete-a-tete ” with him,
and turn the threatening storm into sunshine.

By watching them closely, and not allowing them to get the
advantage of us, the passion for running will gradually wear off,
and those dangerous and restless passions, by not being called
into action, gradually lose their power, and the once vicious,
dangerous and worthless horse becomes again kind, safe and
valuable. He has lost all desire to run or flee from you, and
would now much sooner run to, than from you.

CHAPTER, LII.
RULES FOR SELECTING A GOOD HORSE.

‘Look when a painter would surpass the life
In limning out a well proportioned steed,
His art with nature’s workmanship at strife,
As if the dead the living should exceed ;
So did this horse excel a common one.
In shape, in courage, color, pace and bone.

Round-hoof ’d, short-jointed, fetlocks shag and long,

Broad breast, full eyes, small head, and nostrils wide,

High crest, short ears, straight legs, and passing strong,

Thin mane, thick tail, broad buttock, tender hide ;
Look, what a horse should have, he did not lack,
Save a proud rider on so proud a back.”’

*‘Sometimes he trots, as if he told the steps
With gentle majesty, and modest pride ;
Anon he rears upright, curvets and leaps,
As he would say, lo! thus my strength is try’d;
And thus I do to captivate the eye
Of the fair breeders that is standing by.”

William Shakspere.

As every man is more or less liable to be deceived and im-
posed upon, by interested or dishonest horse dealers, and from
ignorance of the proper shape, and qualifications necessary to
constitute a good horse, are not only liable to be.deceived and
disappointed, but are often swindled out of their money, I have
endeavored in a brief way, to describe what I consider the dis-
tinguishing characteristics of a good horse of all work, or a good
business horse.

The head should be rather small and lean, the forehead broad,
square, and the profile straight. |

The jowls thin but piasculeed and set well apart.

The nostrils large, full and prominent, and showing a eke
red membrane within,

93

The muzzle small, lean, firm and delicate.

The lips close, firm and thin.

The ears small, sprightly, clear, and almost transparent, they
should be upright, and have a fine taper from the roots to the
tips, which should be pointed and turn a little inward.

The eye full, large and prominent, roving bold and eager, but
mild and pleasant, the lids should be well open when at rest.

The neck should be of moderate length and taper well to-
wards the head, slightly curving on the top, and very slightly:
curved underneath.

The mane rather long and thick, but not heavy.

The withers high and thin.

The shoulders long and oblique, thin and flat at the top, with
the point low down and well forward.

The back short, broad and nearly straight.

The body round and deep at the shoulders.

The ribs start from the back-bone in a direction nearly hori-
zontal. The last should come out near the hip bone or be what
we call “ well ribbed up.”

The flanks full and deep.

The hips long, wide and muscular.

The croup full, round and a little sloping.

The tail full, heavy, and carried well up.

The stifle wide, and the stifie jomt well forward.

The quarters full and Hae and the muscles of the thigh
should continue plump and fui! well down to the hock.

The limbs short.

The fore-legs straight, and w see -spread at the chest, and stand
nearly perpendicular.

The fore-arms long, wide at the top, and taper gradually to
the knee, with the muscle plump and full in front.

The knee wide and flat, free from flesh, clean and compact.

The cannon short, flean and free from meat. The back sinews
should be large and flinty, and stand well out from the bone.

The legs thin, wide and sinewy.

The fetlock not round, but rather wide, thicker in front, than
behind.

The pasterns short, and slightly sloping.

The hoof nearly round, open at the heel, smooth and hard,
straight in front, from the hair to the toe, and not high behind.

94

The hair soft, short and glossy

The height between 14 and i5 hands.

The weight some ten or eleven hundred pounds.

The gait. When travelling, his feet should be raised only
enough to clear the inequalities of the ground, carried well for-
ward in straight lines, and set down evenly, so that the entire
sole comes upon the ground at the same time.

The fore-legs should bend well at the knee, instead of the
legs being raised principally by the movement of the shoulder.

The hind-legs should be taken up light and quick, and be ear-
ried well forward under the body, and have a peculiar, nervous,
springy “pick up.” The step should not be long, neither too
short. Observation can alone determine when it is right.

Such a horse as I have described, I feel confident, will prove
admirably adapted to all ordinary kinds of service. Such a
horse will be hardy, healthy and easily kept ; docile, gentle, in-
telligent, always ready for use, and easily taught to perform any
kind of service, or perhaps,

Like Flora Temple, beat the morning wind,
And leave the annals of the turf behind;
Carry like lightning the revolving wheels,
And pick up miles upon her flying heels!
Made up of steel and gutta-percha springs,
She darts along as if she went on wings;

And peerless now, compels the world perforce
To own her Empress ofthe Trotting Course.

—New Year’s Address.

CHAP THRIDIIT.
RULES FOR TELLING THE AGH OF THE HORSE.

At 1 year old, the colt has six nippers, and four grinders
above and below in each jaw.

At 2, The mark in central nippers will be much shorter and

. fainter, and all the nippers will be flat, and about this
time the fifth grinder appears.

At 3, The mark in the two central nippers is nearly worn out;
he has now six grinders in each jaw, above and below,
the first and fifth level with the others, and the next pro-
truding.

At 4, The central nippers will be fully developed ; the sharp
edge somewhat worn off, and the mark shorter, wider and
fainter. The next pair willbe up, but will be small,
with mark deep, and extending quite across them. The
sixth grinder is level with the others, and the tushes be-
gin to appear.

At 5, The corner nippers are quite up, with the long deep mark
irregular on the inside; the tush is much grown, the
grooves have almost or quite disappeared, and the outer
surface is regularly convex. The sixth molaris quite up,
and the third wanting.

At 6, The mark on the central nippers is worn out. The
tush has attained its full growth, being nearly or quite
one inch in length; convex outward, concave neither
tending to a point, and the extremity somewhat curved;
the third grinder is fairly up, and all the grinders are
level. The horse has now a perfect mouth.

At 7, The mark is now worn out in the four central nippers.
The tush is somewhat altered, it is rounded at the edge;
still round without ; and beginning to get round inside.

At

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At

At. 21,;

At

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10.

8,

9),
10
1],
13,
14,
1%,
19,

-

21,

96

The tush is rounder in every way; the mark is gone
from all the bottom nippers, and it may almost be said
to be out of the mouth, there is nothing remaining in
the lower nippers to clearly show the age of the horse.
The mark will be worn out from the middle nippers of
the upper jaw.

The mark will disappear from the next.

The mark will disappear from all. Up to ten or eleven
it is possible to tell the age of the horse almost to a cer-
tainty ; but after this period, we can only approach
within a few years up to twenty or twenty-one. We now
judge from the shape of the upper surface of the nip-
pers.

They are all oval, the length of the oval running across
from tooth to tooth ; but as the horse gets older, the
teeth diminish in size.

The centre nippers are evidently so.

The others begin to have the oval shortened..

The second pair of nippers are quite rounded.

The corner ones have that appearance.

The faces of the central nippers become triangular.
They are allso.

The angles begin to wear off, but in a reversed direction,
viz : from outwards, inward.

They all now wear this form.

After the horse has attained this advanced age, we can often
guess very near the age of the horse by the deepening hollow
over the eye, grey hairs around the head and muzzle ; thinness
and hanging down of the lips ; sharpness of the withers; sink-
ing of the back ; lengthening of the quarters; and the disappear-
ance of windgalls, spavins, and tumors of every kind.

It would be folly to expect perfect accuracy at this advanced
age of the horse, when we are bound to confess that the rules
which we have already laid for determining this matter at an’
earlier period, although recognized however generally, and
referred to in all the courts of justice, will not guide us in every
case, as there is “exceptions to all rules.”

CHAPTER LIV.
THE POOR OLD HORSE.

For the benefit of those who may now be the owner of some
old and worthless horse—one that on account of old age and
hard service performed, is rendered almost helpless—and to rid
themselves of the burden are thinking of “trading them off,”
or turning them out on the “common for to gnaw,” instead of
feeding, protecting and keeping them, after the infirmities of
old age have rendered them useless, for. the labor performed
and good done in their youth; a horse that has rendered his
master faithful service for many a long year; that has given
his life and strength without a murmur, and not only added to
his master’s pleasures, but hundreds if not thousands to his
coffers, I append the following beautiful lines. They not only
faithfully portray the feelings and emotions that many an old
horse must necessarily have, (if they are really possessed of
feelings, which many menappear to doubt, judging from the
eruel and inhuman manner in which they treat them), but also
strikingly portray the situation and fortunes of many of the
human family, that have spent not only their youth, life and
strength, but substance, for the benefit of their children, but
now, like the old horse, when no longer a profitable slave, are
turned out to endure the “cold winds, the hail, rain and
snow.”

,

THE LAMENTATION OF A POOR OLD HORSE.

My clothing ‘twas ance of the Linsey wool so fine,

My mane it hung down, and my coat it did shine;

But now [I'm growing old, and my nature doth decay,

My master frowns upon me, and one day I heard him say,
** Poor old horse, let him die.**

My Keeping *twas once on the best of corn and hay,

I fed in fresh meadows among the flowers so gay;

But now there's no such thing that is offered me at all,

I'm forved to nip the short grass that grows along the wall.
Poor old horse, let him che.

He’s old and he’s lazy, he’s clumsy, dull and slow,

He eats up all my hay, and he browses on my straw,

He is neither fit to ride or in the cart te draw,

So whip him, kill him, to huntsmen let him gu.
Poor old horse, let him die.

My skin to the huntsman they freely now will give,

My body to the hounds, which they gladly will reeeive.

They will gnaw my nimble limbs which have run so many miles,

Over hedges, ditches, valleys gay, over dales and over hills
Poor old horse, let him die.

Mankind, ungrateful for services that’s past,

Expose me to the cold wind, and to the northern blast.

How can you think it hard, or any disgrace,

When [ compare my feelings unto the human mee.
Poor old horse, let him die.

When Nature has done her last and her worst,

She cannot do more, then return me to the dust.

It’s many a lead I've carried all on the cart and sled,

But now I'm growing old, must be knocked an the head.
Poor old horse let him die.

NOTE TO THE PUBLIC.

The reason why those ‘* numerous engravings ’’ do not appear in this book, as many
of my feiends had reason to expect, is this: I, like many others, placed confidence in
a ‘supposed friend,’? who ‘* pocketed my money,’ and left me ‘*‘ minus the means ”’
to curry out iny first intentions; but still hope, in a future edition, if I should not have
the misfurtane to make the acquaintance of another Tommy Bean, to be able to fulfil

my former engagements.

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