Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-07-16
Some Things Concerning Horses and tIeiI
Drivers

As we nave DeIpFe lnllinaleu III Quiet
articles, we have been travelling aboul
somewhat this summer, and we rather
like it. There are good many things tt
De seen and heard, if a man keeps his
eyes and ears open. The cars are com
Portable and convenient, especially when
one wishes to journey rapidly. but for
right down enjoyment, for interest, in
struction and fun-they are no more to bt
compared to stage coach than moderl
"sociable is to IN old-fashioned "applt
pairing" Especially Is this the case if you
have an interest in and love for horses,
which naturally interests you in THEN
drives, and when, as one still may some
times chance to do, one happens to meet
one Of those old-time drives, who hel'
the whip when stage driving was ranke',
almost profession, and the driver honor
ed ana respected rs much rs the minister,
though perhaps in different way and by
different class; then you are fortunate
indeed. Then you want to get scat Oh
the box beside him, and if you pass mus
Ter and gun his favorable notice, you are
AL right. Then such acc UNITS of persona
adventure, such "reminiscences Of local
history along the route, such recolections
OF no SEES he has driven and broken in
a.3 sch hints how to care for and man
age them; will bring one TO his journey 5
end before he is aware of having started
We were so fortunate not long since as
10 meet all these conditions. Riding alons
through our beautiful Vermont scenery
beside such driver we remarked that his
"nign" leader seemed Il fine animal, and
thai III. off wheeler looked like a hard one
for m ordinary hand to manage, and that
he must have driven some years. Then
he warmed toward us. Ycc, he ha
held the reins thirty-two years, come ncX
September, and expected to drive now as
long Is he lived he should think he hui
driven 4 good many different horses, and
never found two alike; they had their in.
dlvldual peculiarities which any one to
handle them successfully must make a
note of and proceed accordingly. lie had
never lost Il horse and never came across
one he coulun't drive. Drivers who had
trouble with their horses getting sick ana
used up, mostly didn't take care Of thci
horses rs they ought to. He never lef
his horses after a hard drive till they were
all dried off and cleaned off if he had to
sleep on the straw with them. No, whip.
ping never did an ugly horse any good.
He never saw baker that he couldn't
drive, ana he didn't want any Rarey
straps and strings either. Would he give
us the secret of his successful method?
Well, he didn't mind Take tlie worst
baker you ever saw, or the ugGest horse
that ever looked through a collar, and Just
pour half gill Of new rum in his ears
and he is your hoss. you can just do
what you have mind to with him; he'll
follow YOU anywhere and do anything
you want him to. We suggested whether
cold water might not answer Us good 4
purpose, and be preferable on temperance
principles. He thought not, but he knew
"A cure for collie just Us certain as the her
was .or baking, and so handy anybody
could get it at any house on the road, or
very often beside the road. We suggested
that so sure and simple a remedy should
be generally known, and if he would tell
us we would have it printed. Well, that
ought to be done, certainly. Take any
horse that has the belly ache. no matter
how bad; so that he lays down and
thrashes round and groans, and just fill
his ears with cold water, and in ten min
utcs he will he on his feet and eating his
feed as well as ever. He tlcked fly of
the flank of the nigh leader with his whip
and continued reaectivcly, Il don't see
what connection there is between a
horses ears and his stomach, but that will
do it every time" We professed our ina.
bility to cnlighten him on the point, bul
did not venture to express our skepticisnl
~ to the fact.
W. now give our readers the benefit Of
the information, and hope it may fall into
the bands Of some of our veterinary sur
g us and that they will rive the theory
III 10 Exc. AS TO the baking, we would
prefer the new rum in the horses cars
.aau in the drivers mouth, and his ears
being 60 much nearer his brain than his
stomach there mty be more easily
traced connection between them, and a
new use be found for new rum.
Long may the old driver handle the
feathers, and his evident kind care of his
horses secure him an easy trip when he
takes his last long journey.