Improved Method of Treating Horses and other Animals for the purpose of Taming or Subduing them, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 20th
ec.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Treating Horses and other Animals for the
purpose of Taming or Subduing them, and Apparatus therefor.
I, HAMILTON SAMPLE of Castle Hotel, No. 8 Middle Street, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Professional Horse Tamer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
It is well known to those accustomed to training or breaking in horses that it is
necessary to obtain a complete control over the horse, in order that he may lose
confidence in his own powers and feel himself perfectly in the power of the person
operating upon him before he learns to do or submit to what is required of him.
And it is at the present time very customary to throw a horse down and prevent
his rising or otherwise, by strapping up his legs to deprive him of his full powers.
These methods are not complete for the purposes for which they are intended as
they do not fully deprive him of control over his actions while at the same time they
may have other effects on the animal neither beneficial or intended.
My invention is designed to obtain control or mastery over a horse by depriving
him altogether of the power of directing his actions without subjecting him to any
unnecessary shock or severity of treatment.
It consists essentially in rotating the animal at a greater or less velocity while
placed in a cage or box or while suspended until he becomes passive in the operators
hands and in a stall shaped box or cage for the purpose, which is fixed on a raised
platform so that it can be rapidly rotated in either direction.
In carrying out the invention I place the horse in the cage or stall and fasten a
supporting girth or strap under his body, this girth or strap is attached to a rod or
bar on each side of the stall which extends from one vertical support to the other,
and one of the bars is made to turn the girth or strap in order to support the horse
in the cage or stall or to raise him if required, and while in that position I rotate
him at a greater or less velocity until he ceases to attempt to move, struggle or free
himself. After being operated upon, the horse may be treated by the trainer whilst
in the stall in any way he chooses to train his different senses of touch, sight,
hearing, smell or taste or may be surgically or otherwise operated upon.
It is evident that the apparatus for use in handling horses in the above manner may
be constructed in several ways, but I prefer at present to construct a light frame
work of suitable material upon which will rotate the cage or stall referred to.
The bottom of the cage or stall I make sufficiently strong to bear the weight of
the horse, and at each corner I fix a vertical support which I brace together, and
connect the two vertical supports at the top of the stall to the two vertical supports
at the bottom by means of a rod or bar on each side, to which I attach the girth or
strap used for supporting or raising the horse, the rods or bars on each side being
fixed so that they can be taken out as required.
The sides of the stall are made in two parts and hinged to the bottom of the stall
and is of sufficient thickness that when turned down, folded and secured by a suitable
fastening at each end, it offers better facilities for operating on his senses.
When the horse is in the stall its head is drawn through the upper portion of the
vertical supports and fastened to a capstan, one or more cross bars or other attaching
device being fastened above the horse.
The rotary movement is supplied by a cog wheel fixed at one end between the
partitions of the platform and secured to the underside of the cage or stall and at
the other end of the platform is a similar cog wheel with handle attached, an endless
chain connecting the two wheels gives the required movement to the cage or stall.
Although the invention is herein described in connection with horses it will be

page_text: understood that it may be applied to other animals which man may wish to train,
subdue or tame.
I am well aware that horses have been suspended in their stalls to prevent them
falling during sleep or to remove their weight from their legs when weak through
illness or surgical operations and such forms no part of my invention.
Dated this 17th day of Anril 1890.
THOMAS H. MELLOR,
110, St. James's Street, Brighton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Treating Horses and other Animals for the
purpose of Taming or Subduing them, and Apparatus therefor.
I HAMILTON SAMPLE, of No. 19 Charles Street, Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, Professional Horse Tamer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
It is well known to those accustomed to training or breaking in horses that it is
necessary to obtain a complete control over the horse in order that he may loose
confidence in his own powers and feel himself perfectly in the power of the person
operating upon him before he learns to do or submit to what is required of him.
And it is at the present time very customary to throw a horse down and prevent
his rising or otherwise by strapping up his legs to deprive him of his full powers.
These methods are not complete for the purposes for which they are intended as they
do not fully deprive him of control over his actions while at the same time they may
have other effects on the animal neither beneficial or intended.
My invention is designed to obtain control or mastery over a horse by depriving
him altogether of the power of directing his actions without subjecting him to any
unnecessary shock or severity of treatment.
It consists essentially in rotating the animal at a greater or less velocity while
placed in a cage or box, or while suspended until he becomes passive in the operators
hands, and in a stall shaped box or cage for the purpose, which is fixed on a raised
platform so that it can be rapidly rotated in either direction.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings Figure 1
is a side elevation of the apparatus with one side E removed. Figure 2 end eleva-
Figure 3 side elevation of inclined approach by which the animal
tion of same.
enters the apparatus.
Upon a frame work A forming a stage or platform, I pivot a stall or cage B into
which the horse is placed. The floor or bottom C of the stall is surmounted by two
arched uprights or rails D and to it are hinged two sides E which can be placed
vertically or horizontally as desired. Each of the arched uprights D are sufficiently
wide at the base and of such a height to the arched top as to allow a horse to pass
under them. At each side of the stall a rod or bar F is attached to the uprights D
to give rigidity to the uprights and to carry a supporting girth G. The girth G is
firmly attached to the bar F at one side and at the other side is attached to a
rotating bar or roller H upon which it can be rolled up by means of a winch handle
or the like.
The roller H is supported in sockets on the bar F and is provided
at one end with a ratchet and pawl to prevent it turning back when weight is put
upon the girth G. If found more convenient the girth G may be attached to a
roller at both sides so that it can be manipulated from either side of the stall. By
means of the girth G the horse can be supported when in the stall, or if desired
raised off his feet thereby.
At the front of the stall is placed a second roller or winch H' to which a rope or
rein from a halter or bridle on the horses head is connected and by which his head
can be drawn forward and secured as may be required. The roller H' may be
supported by struts or frames h or by the hinged sides E when these are vertical.
To the uprights D are affixed straps I which buckle across one in front of the

page_text: fore legs of the horse, and the other behind the hind legs, to prevent any forward or
backward movement, and to the same uprights are connected adjustable straps or
bands J one of which coming across the back of the neck prevents the horse
rearing, and the other across the rump prevents the horse kicking. The adjustable
straps J are attached to the uprights I by rings or grommets; sliding thereon and
are held up out of contact with the horse by the cord j'.
The sides E of the stall are hinged to the bottom of floor C so that they may be
placed in either a vertical or horizontal position as may be required. When laid
down in a horizontal position they are supported on the rails e and when closed or
vertical are maintained in an upright position by the pivoted catches e¹.
The stall B is pivoted on the platform or stage A preferably on ball bearings
and rotary motion applied by means of a cog wheel K secured to the underside of
the stall B which receives motion from the intermediate cogs k on the shaft and
the cog wheel L or it may be driven by a strap on to the pulley L³. Instead of
the horizontal shaft k' a vertical shaft may pass through the floor and be actuated
from beneath as shown in dotted lines Figure 1.
At the rear of the stall is placed an inclined approach M with side wings N by
means of which the horse enters the stall B. A block and tackle O may be used
to attach to the horses hind legs for shoeing purposes or surgical operations.
In operating upon or treating horses by this invention the animal is placed in or
caused to enter the stall B and is secured therein by the straps I being buckled
before and behind the fore and hind legs respectively, and the head being made fast
by a rope from the halter to the winch H'. The adjustable straps J are lowered
down upon the neck and rump of the horse and the girth G is tightened under the
belly to support his weight or raise him off his feet and the hinged sides E are raised
up into a vertical position. The apparatus is then rotated at a greater or less
velocity for some time when he will cease to attempt to move, struggle, or free
himself, and will be perfectly subdued. When the horse is quiet the sides of the
cage may be lowered on to the supporting rails e and his head released and after
being thus operated upon he may be treated by the trainer whilst in the stall in any
way he chooses to train his different senses of touch, sight, hearing, smell or taste,
or may be surgically or otherwise operated upon.
Although the invention is herein described in connection with horses, it will be
understood that it may be applied to other animals which man may wish to train,
subdue or tame.
I am well aware that horses have been suspended in their stalls to prevent them
falling during sleep or to remove their weight from their legs when weak through
illness or surgical operations, and such forms no part of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The method of treating horses for the purpose of subduing or training them,
which consists in rotating them, at a greater or less velocity in a pivoted stall or
cage until he becomes passive in the operators hands substantially as described.
2. An apparatus for treating horses consisting of a rotating stall or cage fitted
with a supporting girth, kicking and rearing straps, and straps to prevent backward
and forward movement, substantially as described.
3. An apparatus for treating horses having a rotating stall constructed and
arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.
Dated this 14th day of November 1890.
THOMAS H. MELLOR,
110, St. James's Street, Brighton, Agent for the Applicant.