The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-03-06
Family Companion Devoted Literature Miscellany News Agriculture MARI
NEWBERRY, S. c., THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1884
TANNING HORSE.
HOW A PROFESSOR TOOK THE JOB IN
HAND AND SETTLED THE MAT.
TER

HOW A PROFESSOR TOOK THE JOB IN
HAND AND SETTLED THE MAT.
TER.
During DR.. Dio Lewis's Gypsy.
ing in the Sierras," he became
much interested in Professor Tapp,
of San Francisco, who tanned wild
and vicious horses without violence
or drugs. Showing the doctor a
herd Of wild horses from the noun.
tains, the professor said:
"You may pick out any horse
from this herd, and in two hours 1
will drive him before buggy, and
when going down hill will let the
buggy loose on his heels, without
the least risk"
The doctor selected the largest
horse, the leader of the herd. It
took an hour to separate him from
his fellows and drive him into the
professors private corral, which
was about the size of a circus-ring,
with sand inches deep, and sur
rounded by a close plank fence,
twelve feet high. DR.. Lewis seated
himself in the circle above, where
he saw what he thus describes
! Professor Tapp entered the cor
raj, holding in his right hand a
whip with 9 short stock and o long,
heavy lash.
In his left hand were strong
halter, minus the hitching-strap,
two old potato-sacks, two straps,
and long rope about thirty feet
long.
Putting all these but the whip
into the recess in the fence, the
professor turned toward the horse.
The animal was making frantic
efforts to get away. The professor
watched his opportunity, and then
the whip-cracker hit one of the
horses hind fetlocks.
The horse seampered from side
to side, and the cracker again hit
the fetlock. Within fifteen min
utes this was repeated twenty to
thirty times.
The horse learned the lesson this
treatment was intended to convey
that there was only one safe
place in the corral, and that was
close by Professor Tapp. There,
there was no hurt, but agentle, sooth-
ing voice. In half an hour, when the
professor ran across the corral, the
horse would run after him. He
had learned that it was dangerous
to be more than ten feet away.
Professor Tapp at length sue
ceeded in touching the horses head
with his hand. He started away,
but before he had taken three steps
came back.
Within three-quarters of an hour
the headstall was ON. The horse
was frightened and used his feet to
remove it.
1t was now easy to rub his head
and neck. The end Of the whip
stock then tickled his side. The
horse switched the spot with his
tail, and the professor caught the
end of the long taii-hairs.
This frightened the animal; he
forgot, and the whipcracker called
him back. The professor then
seized the tail drew it toward him,
tied into the end Of the long hairs
strong cord the other end of which
was fastened to the iron ring of the
headstall.
This drew the head and tail TO-
ward each other. The horse be-
gan to turn in a circle. and soon
was turning as fast as he could. In
a minute he fell, drunk with dizzi-
ness.
The professor wound a potato
sack around each hind leg close to
the hoof and fastened a short strap
over it. There was an iron ring in
each strap, and through both rings
rope was passed and tied upon it
self, eighteen inches from the hind
feet.
The long, loose end of the rope
was passed between the horses
forelegs through the ring of the
headstall, and then tied to heavy
ring in the wall of the corral.
The cord connecting the head
and tail was cut, and after little
time, the horse, still dizzy, rose
slowly. When he found he was
fastened he made a tremendous
struggle. The professor stood by
the ring in the wall Of the corral.
The cord connecting the head
and tail was cut, and after a little
time, the horse, still dizzy, rose
slowly, When he found he was
fastened he made a tremendous
struggle. The professor stood by
the ring where the horse was tied.
The animal could not turn his
his head from side to side because
of the rope which ran through the
ring of the head stall.
He tried to back, and sat down
in the sand. He sprang to his feet,
again backed, and sat down in the
sand.
"Pretty soon,' said the professor,
s.he will switch his tail from side to
side; that means he gives up"
Within eight minutes the horse
moved his tail from side TO side.
s.Now he's done,'' said the profes-
sor.
4 He knelt down by the horses
/ hind laorc r1ntirad the rome unbuck-