Year: 1859

The Horse an Intellectual Being-Remarkable


Effects Of Judicious Training


4 DR. q. ii. Sutherland, of De Kalb
New York, sent US letter few days
since, in which, among other things, he
alluded to the importance of treating
horses as intellectual beings" and Of
trying the effect of constant kindness
in training them, the result of which he
believed would be the attainment on the
part of the horse to ian elevated position
in the scale of intelligence, not only dis
tinguishing themselves among their kind,
but actually outstriPping many of their
o,oners, as far as the nobler attributes are
concerned" With this high appreciation
of the capacity of the horse, the doctor,
five years ago, came into the possession of
fine three year-old colt, and he con-
cluded to try the power of kindness in
the endeavor to develope his mind. The
result is given in the st. Lawrence Re
publican, in which paper correspondent
writes


During my wanderings a short time
since, CHANGED to stop at Herman.
Hearing of DR.. Sutherland's learned colt,
1 had the curiosity to go and see him,
and found him prodigy in learning, be-
sides being quite curiosity. The Doctor
calls him the White Pilgrim His color
is light nankeen, white name and tail,
and white eyes. He is a splendid little
horse. The Doctor tells me that he has
owned him only six months-rode or
drove him almost every day, Gas his rid
ing is considerably but still during that
brief time he broke him to the saddle and
harness, and taught him the different
feats saw him perform, such as standing
on his hind feet, jumping the whip,
kneeling down, lying down, sitting up,
and walking on three legs. He will un-
buckle common saddle girth, and take
off his own saddle; he will step up to his
own master, make very low bow, shake
hands, take his coat, cap and mittens of
and lay them away, and when told, bring
them all back to him again. With cards
he will tell his age, the days in the week,
months in the year, &c. With the alpha
bet he will spell any single word put to
him. Spread out number of playing
cards and he will fetch the one called for.
He will play good game at old sledge,
and beat you as often as you can him,
and tell your fortune if requested. He
will waltz around his yard with quite as
much ease and grace as some of our
country gentlemen, and pass around a hat
for contribution at the close of perform
ance. He is a rare specimen of horse
flesh, and his equal, l think, for beauty,
activity and intelligence could not be
found, considering the labor performed
by him and the short time he has been
under discipline and the Doctor certain.
ly deserves the credit of being a great
Horse Man."


The Doctor, in the conclusion of his
letter, says that until this season he never
before undertook to train a horse for trot-
ting, but that he has now three year old
mare he calls "Crazy Jane" out of Tom
Jefferson's Black Hawk. her dam sired BY
George Parish's imported st. Lawrence.
With very little training she will make
her mile in less than $50 over rather a
poor track. "Now," says the Doctor, "ii
trotting is science that a horse can ac-
quire by careful training, (like playing
old sledge,) Crazy Jane will yet if moth
ing befalls her, be one among many to de-
monstrate the fact that the horse has an
intellect. or reasoning powers, equal ifnot
superior to many of their brute owners,
and that ii can be developed and culti-
waited with as much certainty and profit
as the minds of our children"