East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-11-24
The Horse aD Intellectual BEING
--ssetnariSabIe Effects OF judi
ciOus Training.


DIR. c.. II. SUTHERLAND, Of De Kalb,
New York, sent us letter few days
since, in which, among other things, he
alluded to the Importance of treating
horses as intellectual beings" and oftry'
ing the effect of constant kindness" in
training them, the result of which he be-
lieves would be the attainment on the
horse to San elevated position in the
scale of intelligence, not only distinguish
ing themselves am ong their kinl, but &C.
tually outstripping many of their owners,
as far as the noble attributes are conccr-
ned" With this high appreciation of the
capacity ofthe horse, the Doctor five years
ago came into possession Of a fine three year
old colt, and he concluded to try the pow
er of kindness in the endeavor to devel-
op his mind. The result is given in the
st. Lawrence Republican, in which pape r
correspondent writes:
"During my wandcrings a short time
since, l Glanced to stop at Hermon.-
Hearing of DIR. Sutherland's learned colt
| had the curiosity to 90 and see him,
and found him prodigy in learning,
besides beingquitc curiosity. The doc
tor calls him the "White pilgrim" His
color is light nankeen, white name and
tail, and white eyes. He is a splendid
little horse. The doctor tells me that he
has owned him only six months--rode or
drove him almost every day, (as his rid
ing is CONSIDERABLY but still during that
brief time he broke him to the saddle, and
taught him the different feats saw him
perform, such as standing upon his hind
feet, jumping the whip, kneeling down,
sitting up and walking on three legs.
ole will unbuckle his own girth, and
take off his own saddle; he will step up
to his own master, make low bow, shake
hands, take his coat, cap and mittens off,
and lay them away, and when told, bring
them all back again. With cards he can
tell his own age, the days in the week /,
months in the year, with the alphabet he
will spell any simple word put do him.
Spread out a number of playing cards,
and he will fetch the one called for. He
will play good game at old sledge, and
beat you as often as you can him, and
tell your fortune if requested. lie will
waltz around his ward with quite as much
ease and grace as so,--.,- .ar country
gentlemen, and pass around hat for q
contribution at the close Of a performance.
He is a rare specimen of horse flesh, and
his equal, l think, for beauty, activity,
and intelligence could not be found, con-
sidering the labor performed by him and
the short time he has been under disci-
pline; and the doctor certainly deserves
the credit Of being great Horse Man"
The Doctor, in the conclusion Of his let
ter says that until this season he never
before undertook to train horse for trot-
ting, but that he now has three-year
old mare he calls "Crazy Jane" one OF
Tom Jefferson's Black Hawk, her dam
sired by George Parish's imported st.
Lawrence. With very little training she
will make her mile in less than $3.50 over
rather poor track. "Now," says the
Doctor, "if trotting is a science that a
horse can acquire by careful training
QiSo playing old sledge), Crazy Jane
will yet, if nothing befals her, be one
among many to demonstrate the facl
that the horse has an intellect, or reason.
ing powers, equal if not superior to many
Of their brute owners, and that it can be
developed and cultivated with as much
certainty and profit as the minds of our
children"
We look forward to the result Of The
Doctors experiment with great deal o.
interest; how much kindness will do tC
develope speed in horses is yet to be as
certained.-Eds.