The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-04-22
Astonishing Foata Of Horse Tanning

Rarey, the horse tanner, after aston
ishing the English sporting world, is
gaining new honors by his achieve
ments among the French. You have
probably seen, ere this, that an imperial
commission has been instituted by the
Emperor to investigate and decide upon
the merits of his mode of treatment
The commission assembled the other
day, along with the principal members
Of the jockey club and a host of other
lovers Of horse-aesh, at the French
Iattersalls, in the Rue Beajon. The
company consisted Of all the best
known names upon the turf at Paris,
the Prince Joachim Murat, the Due de
Polignac, the Counts Aguado, de Gram
mot, de Morny, &C., &c. After having
witnessed the success of Rarey, upon
two or three restive animals, whom he
speedily reduced to order, the great
trial Of the day took place upon a well
known entire horse called Stafford
This beast, which was brought, for the
express purpose of the experiment, from
the government har0s, or training sta
bles, of Cluney, is to all appearance
as wild and untamed an animal as that
on which Mazeppa himself is depicted
to have met his fate. He was brought
into Tattersall's yard more in the guise
of a wild beast than of a creature sup.
posed to be domesticated, and certainly
exhibited a disposition to do mischief
with his pins, both for'ard and aft, as
we'll as with his teeth, which retained
the bystanders, despite their curiosity,
at q most respectful distance. He was
brought in with his eyes bandaged,
strongly muzzled, and a cavesson on his
mouth, held by two men, whose precau-
tions and the terror depicted in their
faces, would have made you suppose
that they had a mad dog under their
custody, and we're holding on for their
lives. The brute roared and beloved
like a very lion, and his wicked eye lit
orally shot fire, when, with the greatest
caution, they at last ventured to uncoy-
es his head. 1t is unnecessary to say
that he laid about him in all directions,
on recovering the use Of his optics, and
woo unto the unlucky wight who found
himself within less than a score Of
yards or so of his heelsl His lungo out
was terrific. OF this monster Of a
horse, however, Rarey fearlessly laid
hold, and seemed, by mere force Of will
rather than of muscles, to drag him af-
ter him into a loose box, where he shut
himselfup alone for an hour with this
agreeable and amiable companion
Some Of the spectators seemed to think,
not unreasonably, that he would never
come out again alive.
What passed between the couple
while they remained alone together, Of
course we, who we're not in the secret,
have no opportunity Of learning; but
certain it is, that in the course of an
hour, Rarey made his appearance again
in the yard, mounted upon the back Of
Stafford, who was all alive but not kick
ing, and going along as quiet as a lamb,
with nothing but a snaf1e in his mouth!
For a beast who was every now and
then in the habit of leaving the marks
Of his heels upon the ceiling of his sta
bic, and Of his teeth upon every one
who approached him, this was pretty
we'll; and in fact, those who really
knew what the animal was could hardly
believe their eyes when they saw him
under this new character. One of the
maxims Of the saddle, which 1 was
taught in my youth, when a rider, was
"never to trust a restive horse, and
wonderful stories are certainly related
how horses, supposed to be tanned, will
watch their opportunity for weeks and
even months after; and do you a mis-,
chief some day when you have forgot.
ten their old tricks but they have not
IL is astonishing what a memory horses
have for such things. Whether Staff
ord's conversion to good breeding bc
as solid as it is sudden, remains to b,
seen; certainly it produced all the eff
feet Of a miracle upon those who be
held it, and confirmed all parties in
their admiration Of the American hors,
tanner aud his wonderful powers,
Since the above and other exhibitions
Of the efficacy of the system, tho com
mission has made its report to the Em
peror, who Immediately put down hi
name as a subscriber for 1000 francs
in testimony Of his admiration, Thu
terms demanded by Raroy for the com