PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. 175 



ness, yet I felt and saw that I was gaining ground, and 

 learning new ideas and points every day. Not only 

 dill I have to work without an instructor, books or ap- 

 pliances, but I was laboring under all manner of dis- 

 advantages and opposition. The neighbors and people^ 

 going along the road would make light of my work 

 and say ''I had better quit playing with colts and go i:o 

 work.'' And my folks at home were terribly opposed 

 to my handling horses, saying I would keep on until 

 I would get killed, etc. 



Father finally forbade me bringing any more bad 

 horses on the place, saying that if I wanted to farm the 

 place any longer he would not allow me to bring any 

 more horses there to train. I toW him that I had fully 

 made up my mind, and resolved to make a horse trainer 

 out of myself, if I didn't get killed in learning the 

 business. "When he saw the determination I had to 

 master my profession, he submitted to my handling 

 horses. At this time I had an irresistible desire, and 

 almost an uncontrollable passion, for training colts and 

 subduing vicious horses. I haven't farmed any since 

 that time, but have had all the horses to train ever 

 since that I could handle and a great many more. I 

 have had from two to six colts and vicious horses 

 under training all the time for nearly three years, and 

 sometimes more. lir.viTii^- all kinds of vices — kickers, 

 balkers, shyers, halter pullei^, runaways, and colts. 

 After I had broken a few bad kicking horses kno^vn 

 to nearly every body for their viciousness, and saw 

 that they were made perfectly safe and gentle, ihey 



