The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-07-02
LIVE STOCK.
A VISIT TO A HORSE tanner.

pnla Wnue ErOI. GIeaSOn, GQ6 nOG6O
horse-breaker, was paralyzing the east
with his feats
Wouldn't you like to go and talk
with the professors" asked a friend
perhaps he a give you some point
ers."
I told him that l should like nothing
better, SO we sauntered around to his
exhibition hall. A nan with long
hair, a well-deined smile and a SLOUGH
hat-such we found Prof. Gleason to
be.
81 make no secrets Of my methods, "
he had said to the general public;
Everybody is welcome to come and
learn them-if they can"
That made me feel sort of on my
mettle, for l am free to confess that 1
am most eager to win in a handicap
race. What's the glory in finding out
a thing that everybody a solve? The
The fun lies ia seeing others try and
fail, while you ride under the wire
ahead and Alone
So Idr6W up a chair in a room lighted
like a Transformation scene, with red
lights, and the professor and 1 began to
talk.
How do you do all these wonderful
THINGS" I asked.
by the exercise of a little intelli-
gence, a lot of patience, ard uniform
gentleness. The horse is a very know
ing animal; he only needs to be sure
that you mean him no harm and he
will be as tractable and gentle as a
child"
"With a vicious horse do you not re-
sort to methods that prove to him that
you are his master2'
Certainly I do; but what you call a
vicious horse is too often a horse rem
dered unmanageable by vicious treat
ment. Men need more training in the
exercise of common humanity than
brutes need to break and tame them"
Professor, you are a truth telling
man, and I am proud to know you"
said I, while with a smile as swift as
summer lightning, he continued:
''The three fundamental principles
are-frst, unconditional control; sec
ondly, kindness; and thirdly, an appeal
to the intelligence of the animal, always
associatiDg complete mastery with
gentleness."
rs not the check rein a torture to
any horsei" I asked.
Indeed it is, and I am using my in
fuence to abolish it. Used in modera
tion it need not cause acute suffering,
although in every case it is conducive
to a certain amount of discomfort. As
it is all too often applied, it results in
the most cruel torture"
Professor, said ], What would be
thought of n small but determined
woman who should seize the bride of
such a suffering horse and demand that
his torture be stopped9"
1T would be of no avail. The brutes
who make use Of the extreme check
rein care nothing for individual pro-
test. Law, and its imposed and heavy
fines, alone can reach them"
what are your methods with a
Kicking horse7'
"Acting upon my belief that no four
legged animal can think of his fore
legs and his hind legs at the same time,
l divert the attention of the kicker
from his hind legs and fasten it upon
his forelegs by some deviceof frightened
strap or gentle irritant which causes
him to forget the existence of his lee
ward heels"
Capital" cried I, while a vision of
myself kneeling before our old kicking
pony and scratching his front legs with
a pin until the memory of his own hind
legs should vanish like a fevered dream,
made me smile pleasantly to myself.
You accomplish wonderful things
with the wild horses brought you every
night. Does not half your success arise
from the fact that you are not afraidG'
THAT has much to do with it, A
horse knows instantly, when you ap
proach him, whether you shrink from
him or feel the slightest sensation of
fear, and, like a prankish boy, he
rather delights in tormenting YOU. if
you are nervous"
Here a man with no p~erceptible CHR
and a look in his eye that proclaimed
his disapproval of female correspond
ents, entered and asked:
What am I to do with this new
comerG"
ST will be out presently" said tn
professor meanwhile leave him alone
Would youlike to go and see somethin
of nv ~DrOcess2" he inquired, turnin