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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



the heavy land ; the Suffolk Punch, the Norfolk, and 

 other lighter breeds of cart-horses, for the light lands : 

 these will amply suffice. The usual course to be pur- 

 sued, in making this selection, and procuring them, is to 

 attend the most popular horse-fairs in their respective 

 districts, and to pick up individual specimens as re- 

 quired. Another mode is, to attend the various farm 

 sales within any reasonable distance, and purchase such 

 as are buitablo. In the latter case, many admirable 

 animals may be found; indeed, it is almost the only way 

 to obtain first-class mares for breeding purposes, as few 

 farmers will sell their best brood mares at any price. To 

 keep up our stock of farm horses, it will be right to in- 

 clude both horses and mares in our selection, and the 

 proportion should be four horses to two mares ; the 

 latter to be chosen with a view to breeding. If more 

 mares are taken on to the farm, it may occasionally put 

 the occupier to inconvenience, as in the event of all of 

 them producing foals in one season, the necessary rest 

 they would require of course impeding the farm- 

 work ; hence two would be found to breed a suffi- 

 cient number of young horses to keep up the farm 

 stock or supply, and for the occasional sale of 

 a cart colt — generally a valuable animal, and ever in 

 demand. I name this as a general rule ; but as we can- 

 not expect to obtain just the farm we want, either in 

 extent or proportions of arable or pasture lands, the 

 number of horses required will vary accordingly ; and 



the extra number should, I think, consist of a larger 

 proportion of mares than horses, because if the mares 

 are not at all times fully required in farm work, they 

 may be profitably employed in breeding, and there are 

 certain seasons when they may be much better engaged 

 suckling their foals than in the work of the farm ; 

 moreover, in busy seasons, and when the farmer is hard 

 pushed for help, a little light work in cartage or the 

 like, so as not to over-work or over-heat them, will do 

 them or their foals very little harm, but foals should not 

 partake of feverish milk. 



Another very important part of this subject is the 

 age of the horses we would select. I think they should 

 invariably be young, or from two to six years old, and 

 care should be taken to ascertain that they are sound, 

 and good workers. Occasionally older horses may be 

 purchased ; indeed as respects " brood-mares" it will be 

 found desirable ; and as I have before said, they are 

 generally best obtained at farm sales ; and in such case a 

 good mare must not be missed because she is a year or 

 two beyond our prescribed limit as to age. It is but 

 seldom that really good and valuable cart-mares for 

 breeding purposes are exposed for sale in the open mar- 

 ket or fair. Every farmer has his pet mare. I would 

 on this point also suggest that it is always desirable to 

 have at least one horse on the farm qualified for riding 

 or driving, or as an occasional plough-horse : this 

 might constitute an extra horse for any emergency. 



H ORSE-TAMING. 



The Boston (United States) Journal has the following article 

 on Mr. Rarey's system of horse-taming: — "We saw Mr. 

 Rarey iu this city some two years since, and hai a long and 

 interesting coiiversation with him in regard to his peculiar 

 mode of subduing wild and vicious horses. Mr. Rarey is a 

 small and rather spare man, the only peculiarity about his 

 person being a very keen blue eye. His method of managing 

 a vicious animal entirely precluded the use of force or fear, 

 and he represented that his power was obtained solely through 

 certain herbs and drugs, lirst subduing the desire of the horse 

 to injure him, and then by inspiring the beast with affection 

 and confidence, he is enabled to do whatever he chooses with 

 him. These herbs and drugs are perfectly harmless, and as 

 Sir Richard Airey says, 'there is nothing in the treatment but 

 what any horseman would approve of.' Mr. Rarey did not 

 communicate his secret to U3, but we have no doubt his treat- 

 ment is substantially the same as that described iu the follow- 

 ing extract, which has been floating through the papers of this 

 country for several years : — 



" 'The horse-castor is a wart, or excrescence, which grows 

 on every horse's fore-legs, and generally on the hind legs. It 

 has a peculiar rank, musty smell, and is easily pulled off 

 The amraouiacal effluvia of the horse seems peculiarly to con- 

 centrate iu this part, and its very strong odour has a great 

 attraction for all animals, especially canine, and the horse 

 itself. 



" ' The oil of rhodium possesses peculiar properties. All 

 animals seem to cherish a fondness for it, and it exercises a 

 kind of subduing influence over them. 



" ' For the oil of cummin the horse has an instinctive passion 

 —both are original natives of Arabia, and, when the horse 

 scents the odour, he is instinctively drawn towards it. 



" 'The directions given for taming horses are as follows : 



" ' Procure some horse-castor, and grate it fine. Also get 

 some oil of rhodium and oil of cummin, and keep the three 

 separate in air-tight bottles. 



" 'Rub a little oil of cummin upon your hand, and approach 

 the horae m the field, on the windward side, so that he can 



smell the cummin. The horae will let you come up to him then 

 without any trouble. Immediately rub your hand gently on 

 the horse's nose, getting a litt'e of the oil on it. You can lead 

 him anywhere. Give him a little of the castor on a piece of 

 loaf sugar or potato. 



" ' Put eight drops of oil of rhodium into a lady's silver 

 thimble. Take the thimble between the thumb and middle 

 finger, stopping the mouth of the thimble to prevent the oil 

 from running out whilst you open the mouth of the horee. 

 As soon as you have opened the horse's mouth, tip the thimble 

 over upon his tongue, and he is your servant. He will follow 

 you like a pet dog. He is now your pupil and your friend. 

 You can teach him anythin?, only be kind to him — be gentle. 

 Love him, and he will love you. Feed him before you do 

 yourself. Shelter him wel', groom him yourself, keep him 

 clean, and at night always give him a good bed, at least a foot 

 deep. 



" ' In the winter season, don't let your horse stand out a 

 long time in the cold without shelter or covering ; for the 

 horse is a native of a warm climate, and in many respects his 

 constitution is as tender as a man's. 



" ' If you want to teach him to lie down, stand on his left 

 side; have a couple of leather straps about six feet long; 

 string up his left leg with one of them round bis neck ; strap 

 the other end of it over his shoulders ; hold it in your hand, 

 and when you are ready, tell him to lie down, at the same 

 time gently, firmly, and steadily pulling on the strap, touch- 

 ing him lightly on the knee with a switch. The horse will 

 immediately lie down. Do this a few times, and you can 

 make him lie down without the strap.' 



" Mr. Rarey has subdued many vicious horses in different 

 parts of the country, accounts of which have frequently been 

 published. Among other cases was that of a horse in 

 Washington, which could not be handled. Under Mr. Rarey's 

 tuition, in an hour and a half he made the horse so gentle, 

 that he rode it down the open street without a bridle, beating 

 a drum while seated oa his back." 



