The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-25 00:00:00

MR. RAREY'S 110 SE-TAMING.

Amongst the numerous discoveries for which
we are indebted to our trans-Atlantic kinsmen
we know of none which okight to rank higher
than the system of horse-taming introduced by
Mr. Rarey. Hitherto our whole method of
training the herse to the performance of those
services that we rdquire has been b ised upon what
is very aptly ter ued breaking. It would be impos-
sible to adopt a more signifieaut expressiou. We
bleak the animal, it is true, but too frequently at
the expense of his spirit, and courage, and goo I
temper. The heavy bit, the punishing curb, and
the cruel handling of the rough rider are the prin-
cipal means employed in nine cases out of ten. If
occasionally they ere dispensed with it is because the
horse is unusually quiet and tractable, or the breaker
more than ordinarily kind and patient. Now, the
defects of this mode of treatment are apparent. If
We horse has naturally a vicious disposition we
may temporarily subdue its manifestations, but we
c-innot eradicate the animal's vice. If it he merely
of a spirited nature we spoil its temper, either cow-
ing it and entirely destroying its mettle, or deve-
loping all its powers of obstinacy. Mr. Rarey pro-
ceeds on very different principles. He trains a
horse as he would a rational being,. by appealing
to its inte'ligence and affection. His experience,
the result of many years of study and thoughtful
observation, has taught him that where the treat-
ment is most cruel the horses are most vicious ; and
his theory is based upon the belief that there is
more of natural good than evil in the equine cha
racter. His practice has so little in it to excite
astonishment, except its unvarying success, that
those who witness it only wonder that it should
have been left to the strong common sense of oee
man in the 19th century to introduce it.
We had the pleasure yesterday of attending one
of Mr. Rarey's lessons at the Round House, when
that gentleman gave a full explanation as Well as
practical illus rations of his mode of "approaching,
haltering, leading, bridling, saddling, and subdu-
ing horses." At the cemmencemeut he entirely dis-
c'aiwecl any supernatural or even extraordinary
powers. He denied that there was any mesmeric
influence in his touch, any fascination in his voice,
or eye, or that theta was any trick of whispering
or inhalation, such as we have heard imputed to
horse-charmers of other times. He employed no
drug or chemical agency. In short, there is no-
thing in his system which cannot be put into prac-
tice to-morrow by any of our readers possessed of
ordinary nerves and a little experience in horse-
manship. Mr. Rarey's first patient was the notori-
ous Cruizer, the property of Lord Dorchester,
whose vicious and untameable qualities have been
so long known to the racing public. This horse was
sent away from the Rawcliffe stud on account of
his endangering the • lives of the men who had the
care of him. He-would rear and kick for ten mi-
nutes together in his .futy,. and on one occasion
snapped an iron bar, one inch thick, asunder with
his teeth. Mr. Rarey himself confessed that " he
would do more fighting in less time" than any horse
he ever saw. Yet we witnessed this terror of the
Rawcliffe stud, docile as a lamb, following Mr.
Rarey at his bidding, and carrying a cap in his
mouth, which he deposited at the. given signal in
his tamer's hands. The second animal treated was
a black mare, of a remarkably nervous tempera-
ment, which had defied all the efforts of her owner
and groom to overcome her timidity and render her
trac able. Under. Mr. Rarey's hands she never
shrank from the severest tests, such as the beating
of a drum at her back, enderneath her, and behind
her, and the opening of an umbrella immediately
in front of her. Mr. Rarey sat on her shoulders and
on her quarters and knocked her hoofs together,
the mare all the time lying perfectly quiet, or now
and then lifting her head to regard the movements
of the operator with a kind of listless curiosity. A
zebra on which Mr. Rarey operated seems likely to
give him a little more trouble than was expected,
but that gentleman announces his intention of _
tak-
ing him in hand on his return from Set:Alan d ; and
after his success with Cruizer, and the equally s
for-
midable Stafford, of the Emperor Napoleon
stables, we cannot doubt that he willt eonaeni day bring
is as
brute
'
him under the yoke. At present h
untameable a specimen of the creation as
could be well found. The vicious way in which he
chewed the huge woo
his angry screams, and
.the vigour
lashed out, evince a spirit worthy
with Mr. Rarey's master-mind.
We cannot conclude .
new system without expfresh e,
woolen bit inserted in his mouth,
with which he
of coping even
our notice of the
sinc, our conviction
that to every breeder o or.ses, and to all
who are concerned in their training and
management, it will be found invaluable. Whether
we regard it as a means of bringing, out the best
qualities of the horse, or of establishing a More
humane treatment of this noble animal, we believe
its adoption throughout the • country will e at
tended with the greatest benefit. Even if i had •
li
been unattended by the speedy success which Mr.
Rarey's pupils have universally achieved in ;their
own experiments, its humanity would recomiLend

Royal Marines. The column of troops on the right
and of the batteries on the left advanced, halted,
and perforrneda general salute. The Royal Artillery
formed a hollow square, iu the cnitte of which were
drawn up 41 non-commissioned officers aud gun-
ners, distinguished for long service and good con-
duct, to each of whom General Williams presented
a medal. The bands of music were then called in,
taking their posts at the head of- their respective
corps, and the I3,igade marched off the ground.
Yesterday the troops of the line attached to the
Ist battalion of infantry at Chatham were drawn
up inside the Spur Batter; for.the'purpose Of wit-
nessing the carrying into effect of the sentence of a
district court-martial on two privates of the 53d
Regiment, named Philcox and Harris, each of
whom was on Thursday last tried before a district
court-filarial at Chatham Barracks, and found
guilty—Philcox of having made use of highly in-
sultordinite language to Captain L. Sidebottom,
the Adjutant of the battalion, in the presence of
the troops assembled on the parade-ground, and
Harris of having, while stationed with a detach-
ment at Eastbourne, been guilty of mutinous con-

duct in assaulting the escort who had a prisoner in
charge, and' endeavouring to cause him to: escape.
The Court adjudged, each of the prisoners to re-
ceive 50 lashes, and also to undergo 84 days' impri-
sonment in Fort Clarence. Durii,g the infliction
of the punishment, and while being tied up to the
triangles, both prisoners appeared to treat the
matter with the greatest bravado. Philcox has
been several years in the service and boars a bad
character, having been flogged on a previous occa-
sion ; Harris, who .is very young; has -only been a
soldier a few months. The prisoners were re-
moved to the military hospital, and as soon as they
are fit to be discharged from that establishment
they will undergo the remaining portion of their
punishment in the military prison at Rochester..
The tents for the troops belcieging to the 3d bat-
talion at Chatham garrison, under the command of
Lieu`.- Col. C. E. Fairtlough, have been pitched
insidO the fortiacatisns at Prince Edward's Bas-
tinr, closely contiguous to the bus. The
officers and men belonging to the 94th depot
have taken possession of them, in addition to which
the 19th and 75th Regiments are, also to be en-
camped.
On Friday last Major-Gen. .Sir Ja'. Chatter!on,
commanding the cavalry brigade at Curragh Camp,
made an inspection of the sth Royal Irish Lancers
at Newbridge Barracks. The whole of the regiment
were drawn up ou foot, with lances carried. Their
appearance created universal approbation ; they
formed in four squadrons numbering 130 men each,
and all in unit*, rm. They marched past in slow and
quick time, and no regiment of long standing could
have done it more coirectly. On close column
being formed Sir Jas. Chatterton addressed the re-
giment in gratifying and soldierlike terms, express-
ing his great astonishment at what he bad wit-
nessed, not having thought it possible that so much
could have been done to make so magnificent a re-
giment in so short a time. The gallant general paid
a well-deserved cmnpliment to the colonel of the
regiment, and stated his opinion that the-sth
Lancers had only to proceed as they had begun, and,
that in a short time they would be second to no
regiment of cavalry in her Majesty's service.
The steam transport Rhadamanthus sailed from
Woolwich yesterday morning for Portsmouth, call-
ing at Sheerness to embarksupernumeraries for the
fleet. She was laden with steam
ma-
chinery, and took' 17 seamen
Fisgard and conveyed .t
Thresh, of 4!1-horse pt4er4:.ec un anabolialdesrs
faronmd
the:ghifhooraptsrt
oßeady and
"nth.
The following freightstups have
arrived at
Chatham with war stores, and are now unloading
at the dockyard, viz.:—the Hope, Dyer, master ;
the Ann, victualling vessel ; and the Duck, Weal,
master.
The ships- at Portsmouth " dressed" yesterday
morning at eight o'clock, and the Royal standard
was hoisted on all the Government establishments.
At noona Royal salute was commenced by the Gar-
rison battery, which was taken up by all the ships
included in the admiral's orders. In the afternoon
the regiment in garrison were paraded on Southsea-
common. The weather was very bad, and as evening
approached heavy rain set in. The Commander-in-
Cnitf, Sir G. Seymour, and Rear-Admiral the Hon.
Geo. Grey went to Osborne to visit her Majesty.
In the evening there was a ball in honour of the
day at the King's-room., under the patronage of
all the naval and military dignitaries.
We learn i'y electric telegraph o
elegf Rear-rapha.f&.rcionimiPrallyHmotwith
that the Monarch, s. flag
Bruce, from the Pacific, was off that port going. up.
Channel yesterday afternoon.
Mr.
n e i
e r, has Elb
e. eii appointedPearson, to herAlllssaijset-Esatny'tssling pi -
Archer.

ACTS OF PAtLIAMENT.—The number of public acts
which have received the Royal assent in the present
session, commencing on the 3d December, is only 20.
MR. HENRY WATT.—Tbe public will be glad to
hear that Mr. Henry Watt, well known as the chief
engineer of the Cagliari, though far from being quits
well, is improving in health aid spirits. Ho is at
p•esent residing at the seaside, and it is confidently
believed that be will quite recover from the effects of
, his long and cruel imprisonment in Bomba's prisons.
I —Newcastle Leprea.—