Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-04-11
farm anu Garbsa,
How to Treat Horses.

We have already announced the
TACT that the celebrated horse-tamer,
Mr. Ksrey, has been giving a course
OF lectures IN this city, upon the
propet methods Of treating horses
aud other dumb beasts, such as are
adapted to the service Of man.
These lectures accompanied rs they
have been by practical demonstra-
tons, have met with extraordinary
access,and have convinced the public
that pounding, punching, kicking and
otherwise maitreating this noble
anImd will never cure him of vice
Rsrsy assumes tina! when the horse
has been brought to realize his mas
tets sup emacy,he will cbeeTullyobey
his slightest command as soou as be
fairly understands what is required Of
him. Aud hs never can be made to
understand his master if naddened
by cruel treatment, or frightened out
81 his wits BY angrily-shouted orders
We must allow time for impressions
10 be made on bis intelligence, and
never confufe him by giving fresh
orders before the preceding one is
thoroughly comprehended aud obey.
cd.
1t is peculiarly Of the horse to
examine all suspicious objects by
touching them with bis nose, as man
touches them with his hand. Show
him a drum. saddle, buffaIo robe, a
string Of bells, wagon OF any other
thing, aud let him touch and smell it
until be is satisfied it will moi harm
him and be loses all fear of it. But
suddenly thrust at him the sstrange
object, without giving him time to
examine it, and he flies sway from
:tas naturally as We would under like
circumstances. Hence if horse is
very nervous, and difficult to saddle,
or harness, or hitch, it only requires
a little for6earance on our part, and
a little time, to overcome his rest.
iveness, and make him willing to be
saddled, harnessed, or hiIched.
Show him saddle, harness, and wag-
on, instead of hiding them from
him; lei him touch, smell, and even
taste them if he will, until be un-
derstands that they will Go him no
harm, repeat the lesson a few times,
and ycur victory is certain. But
fling saddle OF harness suddenly on
bis back, aud be will mako a wild
jump TO save himself from an imagin-
AIRY foe, as naturally as a man would
If even SO harmless a thing as a
twig should fall on him when travel
ing at night ia dense forest in a
strange land. You club the poor
horse for jumping until you smash
his skull or break bis leg, and be
will only jump the more in the increas.
ed agony Of bis fear. Rarey sys-
tenn is thus correctly epitomizsd:
''Obedisnce to man is the ruling prin-
ciple of the horse; disobedience the
penalty Of bad teaching. To make
him obey, 1t i. only necessary to
make him fully comprehend what
is required Of hin. He has origin
ally no conception of his strength
as compared with bis masters,
and never will have until they are
foolishly matched in struggle. Iii
is part of wisdom to keep him
Ignorant in this respect, by master.
ing him by gentle but thorough
treatment at an early age. In the
horse az in man, fear is the result
of ignorance; hence he may be accus-
toned to locomotive or any other
frightful object by giving him time
aud opportunity to examine it in
his own way. All these fundamental
laws which underiie the Rarey sys-
tenn are very simple to understand,
very little understood at
present by the public. Simple as
they are, they have required years
Of experiences and observation on bis
part to develop and define them
When they are once generally rec
ognised, the trouble and danger of
horse-training will be at an end
Scientific american.