The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-07-19
Horse Breaking in Australia.
Ambrose Platt in London Mail.

udbuldi DlCQilCCtiOhc VI hoMOfCi apots t"Nit
occupations, bear to one another SO remark
able family resemblance, physically speak
ing, as to render their various types practl
cally indistinguishable one from another.
There is certain amount of truth in
the indictment. At first glance all bush
men appear to be brothers of one family.
They are all sun Drowned, hardy, lean and
wiry men, possessing no prominent facial
characteristics by which the ordinary OBJ
server may unhesitatingly determine their
mental bent and assign them to that type
to which they of right belong. But on
that very account they present study OF
extraordinary interest to the practised
physiognomist.
Confronted with problem insolvable by
the crowd, ambition awakes, and he ap-
plies his energies thereto. A little close
attention, a little continued obsel walton
of men who follow chosen occupations at
the often unconscious call of natural incli-
nation, and, 10! the task is over The
types marshal themselves and stand apart,
and soon those who appeared but lately
alike as peas in barrel it is no longer as
possible to mistake as it was formerly i'm
possible to distinguish.
A HIGHLY PAID PROFESSION.
The horsebreaker is of a totally different
type from any of the others, save in gen
eral appearance Like his cousins, he is
lean and leather -coIoured, but there all re-
semblanee ends. His neck is long, also
his arms and legs His hands are small
but powerful; in repose they are usually
shut tight. His trousers are closely fitting,
and he wears strap to secure them be-
meath his boot. He generally carries a
bride hanging over the crook of his left
arm. He wears huge goose -necked spiked
spurs, and has an inveterate habit Of chew
ing straws, fragments of which he spits out
as he talks. He can converse only OF
horses, their habits and idiosyncrasies.
A lare Judge of horsehesh, he can tell
at glance any animals faults of pace,
wind, make, or temper, and he knows
exactly what a horse says when it neighs
or whinnies. His face is obstinate and
rather brutal His chin is invariably pre-
dominant; his eyes are usually small and
hazel -coloured; his nose short and blunt.
When excited or annoyed, he stretches
out his neck and cranes his head forward
like startled horse. He has no brains to
speak of, is Incorporate of all opinions save
his own, and he scorns advice. Alto
gether, though no doubt a useful member
Of society, he is "a person to be avoided,
and he is often a rogue. Ii employed to
break in horse to which he takes fancy,
he fulfills his task in such manner that
no other man will ever be safe upon the
creature back, and by this trick usually
acquires his fancy at tithe of its proper
value.
know squatters who ardently believe
in the doctrine of the transmigration OF
souls merely because of the extraordinary
manner in which most horsebreakers re-
semble horses, and the marvellous mastery
they so readily acquire over all animals
submitted to their care. In Australia
there are thousands of horsebreakers, and
it is by no means despised-but often
highly paid profession. Two or more
reside in almost every town and village on
the continent, and many big squatting
cattle stations maintain one, year in and
out, to train the horses in the peculiar
fashion required for the station work,
mastering, yarding and so forth.
!
METHODS OF BREAKING IN.
The Australian horsebreaker methods
of ''breaking in morse would make the
ordinary English horse trainer stare.
The term breaking is, indeed, very
proper one, as will presently be perceived
His custom-and | would emphasize the
fact that the practice am about to out
line is not only inyariable, but it is the one
and only method Of procedure employed
by bush horsebreakers throughout ths
length and breadth of the continents a.
follows A dozen young colts or fillies
sometimes less, sometimes more, are driver
into a stockyard. This stockyard is 1
small paddock, about 100 feet square, en-
closed with stout post and rail fence,
feet or 10 feet high. The horsebreakel
singles out one from the herd, skilfully
casts running moose at the end of a stout
rope over its head, and then he and hii
assistants haul quickly on the rope, bring
ing presently the half -strangled end des
perately frightened colt to earth. The
horsebreaker, resigning the rope to hi
companions, then darts forward and sits
upon the head of the PROSTATE, wildly
kicking animal. The colt, so blinded, i'm
mediatly resigns himself for time to fate,
and lies still.
The assistants approach, and, first rop-
ing his legs, bind strong, steel-framed
saddle to his back, with girths, a stout
leather surcingle, crupper, and breastplate,
lifting his body by main force when they
need to pass the straps and girths around
him. This done, the horsebreaker rises.
The colt tries to get up too, but cannot,
for his legs are securely triced together.
While he lies there struggling mad, crue
thick steel snafle bit is thrust into his
mouth and bride drawn over his head
The horsebreaker then grasps the reins ii
one hand, and, standing astride of the
panic stricken brute, coolly cuts the cords
confning his limbs.
The colt, feeling himself free, struggles
afoot, but he has now mysterious burden
ON his back. At first he cannot under
stand, but stands stupidity still, trembling
like leaf, shuddering with mortal fear.
Next second the cruel spurs gore his sides.
He springs forward, snorting and astound-
ed. A raw-hide whip then descends upon
his 1ibs, and always the spurs bite blood.
The colt, wild, unbroken, hot-blooded
thing, still terrified, darts hither and
thither among the startled herd, striving
yainly to escape. But when his head is
wrenched this way and that by the iron
torture in his mouth, he commences tc
understand, and to associate the burden
| ON his back with the agony he endures
His temper rises OF a sudden he stands
stock still. The spurs bite, the whip sting
still he does not move, but his ears fal
ominously back.
BUCKING IN EARNEST.
The horsebreaker has waited for thu
moment
With a reckless laugh he sets his knee
hard against the great knee-pads of the
saddle and waits, his body swaying like I