The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-10-27
4 CURIOUS INTIMACY.
\ Man wuo CLAIMS TO UNDERSTAND HORSE
TALK.

The San Francisco Nesrs Latter says t.
There is retired trainer, named Long.
residing on small farm In Alameda coua-
ty, who lives FOR nothing else but tie
pleasure of being near horses. lie eats his
meals in the stables. Sonactimes passes the
night in the same stall with iavorlte
pony, and among his equine pets Is mare
who whinnies an answer every Time he
speaks to her. Or informant relates
that the most perfect understanding evi-
IDENTIFY exists between Mr.. Long and at
least three out of five horses in his stable
Two are recent additions, but even in their
case the same diflinity Is seen III a lesser
degree.
The training of horses, their obedience,
docihty, anu tricks ia clcus, are no
novelty all of us have seen a horse Gre
pistol. stand on two legs, waltz, lie down
with his trainer, and perform a hundred
acts Of sagacity, but these are simply tie
result Of patient training and systematic
correction. What MIR. Long claims Is far
more astounding. He asserts that, from a
life long intimacy with horses. he under
stands their speech he goes fnrther aud
declares that their nasa.. gutteIal. expo
Gent and unobStructed sounds have a diff
ferent meaning, are used 10y the coalition
of the brain and vocal organs. and that
not only do his favOTite horses understand
him, but that every sound which they Mt
ter Is perfectly plain to him. When arEu-
ing with him that, he might comprehend
the meaning of the sounds emanating from
the vocal chords Of a horse, yet 1t was
patent impoSsibility for a horse to usdcr-
stand the English language be replied.
Living, eating, and sleeping with my
horses has given me the knowledge pos
Sess, and the same intimacy has acquired
for my horses the powers ! claim for them
Here, turning to slender, light built q ay
pony, he said !: ''Billy, we are talking Of
you if you understand what | am saying,
turn your head rOnnd on the outside.
The pony did SO, and then resumed bis
feed. Billy" he continued. tell me
your age, how long have you lived here,
and on wh ich side of you Is yUur friend
Ncsta - The pony wLincd FOR about two
minutes consecutively, aud then being
loose in its stall, walked into tlie adjoining
one occupied 10y the mare Nesta. Now
he continued, do you and billy walk down
together to the trough and drink while [
make up your BEDS Vesta aud Billy
walked quietly oct and proceeded straight
TO the trough.
While they were out Mr.. Long turned
over the straw carefully with a fork. ard
carried on animated conversation with
rome gelding about fifteen hands high,
Nesta's neighbor on the other size. Tho
name of this horse was Policy, aud after
talking angrily 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 mp until after Billy
and Nesta had returned. Our informant
saw but little in this To prove Mr.. Long s
claims. as many horse viii lie down 1t
the word of command but when without
a further word, Policy arose and walked
out to the water trough after the return #
the other two d rs's, the subject became
as aifficUlt of Selul ION as before.