Year: 1860

N p. Willis. has been trying his skill in Mr.. Z
Rarey's art, and in a genial letter from Idle,
wild" he thus narratcs the progress Of his ex-
pcriments:-


To be, ones self tho horses favorite, may
be safely pronounced an addition to the luxury
of having favorite horcso; but that this is q
very simple and easy thing to bring. about, will
be new to many owners Of fine animals--new to
90 many. Mt least, that, to tell Of the chance
country life experience which resulted unexpect
cdly In my discovery of the secret, will not be
unintortsting tn ~ rcaders.s i should say, at
oacc, perhaps, that what refer to IS side re-
suit, or Incidental advantage, of the Rarey'
process, and one which have not seen dwclt
upon, or even expressed. 10 the various accounts
of experiments in horse tanning. Most gentle
men would like to have their horses love them
but, thinking il 4 matter Of long and tedious
training, or to be brought about only by the
Arabs tent life and habitual companionship
with his stccd, they give to Jockeys the trouble
Of properly subduing them, and are cootent
with the mere su5missvoncss and creditable
performance of the generous creatures they
bestride, They lose refinement Of the luxury,
which Gas hope instructiyely to explaiD is
within easy reach of every lover of ills horse.


II had owned, for a year and half, horse
with whose disposition and temper was little
puzzled Without being at all vicious as to his
work, most willing and beautiful creature at
every thing hc was put to, he would bite and
strike at you with his fore feet, yet it seemed
to me-. rather Beniciasly than maliciously, mere
ly trying to knock you down for the fun of the
thing AS he was young when first got him,
thought this a mere colts trick, which kind
ness would soon cure; and petted him accord
iigly. 1t as not safe to 60 into his stall with
out great precautions, as to keeping the eye
upon him and speaking authoritatively: but,
even then, though he would cat the carrot from
your hand, or nibblc the sugar or salt, It was
with ears put back and readiness to seize with
his teeth, or rear and strike il your back was
turned Months Of kindness had no effect upon
him; and, after several severe bites upon the
arm and shoulder and blow or two from his
forward hoofs, had almost given it up, fearing
that he was innatcly vicious. Usually, Of course,
It is better to sell at once, an animal whose
habits and manners are disagrceable but thjs
happened to be one of those rarc combinations
of strength and lightness found only in what the
English call hupter'--a horse of wonderful
compactness and symmetry, the like Of which
had not elsewhere seen in our country, and i
longed TO keep him for tAe saddle IL Il were
any way possible. To show how unlikely ap-
pcared my prospect Of liking him any better
should mention that, a fortnight ago standing
in double harness with another horse at the
front door, he reared on his hind legs suddenly,
as crossed the road in front of him, and struck
at me with both forefeet, like trained boxer
the hoof which passed close before my eyes,
(for chanccd not to be looking at him coming
within an inch of putting an end to this weeks
article


Sticking in pigeon-holc of my desk ever
since its publication, (July 80, 1859 has been
that leaf of the Tribune giving an admirably de-
tailed and illustrated acsouut of the Rarey
process of horse -taming;' and before giving up
my ugly customer l thought would read
this once more I did so, and determined to
try the experiment. upon him. We are fortunate
in having an excellent judge and han Her of
horses in young Appleton, son Of an English
veterinarian resident at Newbureh; and I en-
gagged him to drive over to ldlewld, and assist
me. All who are likely to be interested In what
an, about to speak of will have to read the
essay above alluded to- Cor if not they should
procure ard study it with its explanatory draw
in9s,) and | need not be very minute as to par
ticuars We had two days of experiment
with weeks interval and threw the horse
six times, following the directions very careful
ly He yielded unwillirgly, and his desperate
plungcs before falling on his knees-shut up as
we were with him in an enclosed shed-~werc
rather appalling. l should have said, while he
was dashing about, erect upon his hind legs,
that months of that sort Of treatment would
have little effect on his tcmpcr-thc miracle
being in the instant change of heart that
seems to take place W, Eh the final giving-up, or
with the FIRST entireness of conviction previously
held in reserve by the horse) that you are inds-
putably the master.


As intimsted above, had no anticipation be-
yond the mere subduing of the animal, hoped
the experiment might teach him to respect me,
hereafter. with his teeth and hoofs, though even
OF that result felt skeptical Wishing to have,
at least, the full advantage of the impression on
the horses, | held his head myself while NV
companion drew the tether at his leg, and look.
cd him in the eye, and talked to him while he
was being struggled with and thrown. And
this q wish to suggesD is the part which the
future rider Of the horse should take, in such
an experiment, as it is to the holder of the bit
that the unreasoning animal attributes all the
new aud unaccountable mastery of his move
mcnts


"While lying on his side, and with his head
still up, saw that the creatures eyes were still
full Of fury, and his expanded nostr1ls very un.
complying; but with the final droop Of the
head TO the ground, there was sudden change
in every line Of his excited face. The tense
eyebal.s were relaxed and there was the horse
substitute for q smile, (the corners Of the ears
bent forward instead Of backward which was,
to my eye, as agreeable as it was curious. In
fact, the beauty Of the animal. even as no lay
on the ground, was exc edngly improved, as
the frequent putting back Of lis ears had bcen
hitherto, his ono solitary blemjsh---radicay
cured, at that moment, IL appears, for he has,
ever since worn his ears (tbc smallest |, I'd most
daintiy formed pair ever saw like any other
horse


But what q change in tho behavior of that
powerful animal on getting TO his feet again
Thinking that there might possibly be an cx-
csption to natures wonderful law Of subjective