MR. GURNET'S COLT. 33 



But although the re-publication of Mr. Earey's Ame- 

 rican pamphlet virtually absolved his subscribers from 

 the agreement which he gave up formally a few days 

 later in his letter to the Times, it is quite absurd to assert 

 that the little pamphlet teaches the Art of Horse- 

 Taming as now practised by Mr. Earey. Certainly no 

 one but a horseman skilled in the equitation of schools 

 could do much with a horse without great danger of 

 injuring the animal and himself, if he had no other 

 instruction than that contained in Mr. Earey's clever, 

 original, but vague chapters. 



In the following work J shall endeavour to fill up 

 the blanks in Mr. Earey's sketch, and with the help 

 of pictures and diagrams, show how a cool determined 

 man or boy may break in any colt, and make him 

 a docile hack, harness horse, or hunter; stand still, 

 follow, and obey the voice almost as much as the 

 reins. 



To say that written or oral instructions will teach 

 every man how to grapple with savages like Stafford, 

 Cruiser, Phlegon, or Mr. Gurney's gray colt, would be 

 shere humbug that must depend on the man ; but we 

 have an instance of what can be done that is encourag- 

 ing. When Mr. Earey was so ill that he was unable to 

 sit Mr. Gurney's gray colt, the boasting Mr. Good- 

 enough tried his hand, and was beaten pale and trem- 

 bling out of the circus by that equine tiger; but 

 Mr. Thomas Eice, the jobmaster of Motcombe Street, 

 who had had the charge of Cruiser in Mr. Earey's 

 absence up to that time, although he had never before 

 tried his hand at Eareyfying a horse, stuck to the gray 

 colt, laid down, made him fast, and completely conquered 

 him in one evening, so that he was fit to be exhibited 



