Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-09-28
Horse TaIk---A Remarkable
Story.

THERE is a retired trainer, named
Long, residing on small farm in Ala
media County, who lives for nothing
else but the pleasure of being near
horses. He eats his meals in the
stable, oftentimes passes the night in
the same stall with a favorite pony.
and among his equine pets is mare
who whinnies in answer every time he
speaks to her. Our informant relates
that the most perfect understanding y-
identity exists between Mr. Long and at
least three out of the five horses in his
stable. Two are recent additions, but
even in their case the same affinity is
seen in a lesser degree.
The training of horses, their obedi-
ence, docility, and tricks in a circus.
are no novelty; all of us have seen a
horse fire a pistol, stand on two legs.
waltz, lie down with it's trainer. and
perform hundred acts of sagacity.
but these are simply the result of pa
tient training and systematic correc-
ton. What Mr.. Long claims is far
more astounding. He asserts that.
from a lifelong intimacy with horses,
he understands their speech; he goes
further, and declares that their nasal,
cultural, eXplOdent and unObstructed
sounds have different meaning, are
used by the coalition of the brain and
vocal organs, and that not only
do his favOrite horses under
stand him, but that every sound
which they utter is perfectly
plain to him. When arguing with
him that, though he might comprehend
the meaning of the sounds emanating
from the vocal chords of horse, yet
it was a patent impossibility for a
horse to understand the English Ian
guage, he replied: "Living, eating and
sleeping with my horses has given me
the knowledge | possess, and the same
intimacy has acquired for my horses
the powers | claim for them" Here,
turning to slender, light-built pony,
he said, Chilly, we are talking of you;
if you understand what / am saying,
turn your head round on the off side
The pony did SO, and then resumed his
feed. Billy" he continued, "tell
me your age, how long you have lived
here, and on which side of you is your
friend Vesta?" The pony whinnied
for about two minutes cOnsecutiyely,
and then, being loose in it's stall,
walked into the adjoining one occupied
by the mare Vesta. "Now," he con-
tinued, edo you and Billy walk down
together to your trough and drink
while l make up your beds" Vesta
and Billy walked quietly out and pro-
ceeded to the trough.
While they were out, Mr. Long
turned over the straw carefully with a
fork, and carried on an animated con-
versation with roam gelding about
fifteen hands high, Vesta's neighbor
on the other side. The name of this
horse was Policy, and after talking an
grily to him for some minutes about
some fault he had committed the day
before, he ordered Mr.. Policy to lie
down and not to get up until after
Vesta and Billy had returned Our
informant saw but little in this to
prove Mr.. Longs claims, as many
horse will lie down at the word of
command; but when, without a fur
Their word, Policy arose and walked out
to the water trough after the return of
the other two horses, the subject be-
came as difficult of solution as before.
San Francisco Ne2Cs Letter.