TAMING.J 



THE HOESE, AND 



[taming. 



return to their dangerous practices on any 

 opportunity which their caprice may dictate^ 

 or chance may throw in their way. The fol- 

 lowing statement of facts quite bears out this 

 opinion, and shows the danger of keeping any 

 naturally vicious animal, under the impression 

 that he may become quiet and harmless. 



Eestiveness may be considered the effect of 

 bad temper, and, perhaps, worse breaking; 

 and like all other habits founded on nature, 

 and fixed by an evil education, it may be 

 considered inveterate. Whether it appear 

 in the form of kicking, rearing, plunging, or 

 bolting, or in whatever way it may threaten 

 danger to the animal or its rider, it rarely ad- 

 mits of a cure. It may be true, that a reso- 

 lute and determined rider may, to a certain 

 degree, subjugate the animal ; or the horse 

 may form his attachments, and, with some par- 

 ticular person, become comparatively, or per- 

 fectly manageable ; still we believe it to be a 

 rule that admits of very few exceptions, that 

 he neither displays his wisdom, nor consults 

 his safety, who thinks he has so far subdued a 

 restive horse, as to be able, at all times, to 

 repose trust in him. 



An excellent veterinary surgeon, and a 

 man of great experience in horses, says, in 

 The Veterinarian — " Erom whatever cause the 

 vicious habits of horses may originate, whether 

 from some mismanagement, or from natural 

 badness of temper, or from what is called in 

 Yorkshire, a mistetcli — whenever these ani- 

 mals acquire one of them, and it becomes in 

 some degree confirmed, they very seldom, if 

 ever, altogether forget it. In reference to 

 driving, it is so true, that it may be taken as a 

 kind of aphorism, that if a horse kicks once in 

 harness, no matter from what cause, he will be 

 liable to kick ever afterwards. A good coach- 

 man may drive him, it is true, and may make 

 him go, but he cannot make him forget his 

 vice; and so it is in riding. You may con- 

 quer a restive horse ; you may make him ride 

 quiet for months, nay, almost for years toge- 

 ther; but I affirm, that under otlier circum- 

 stances, and at some future opportunity, he 

 will be sure to return to his old tricks again." 



This writer gives two singular and conclu- 

 sive instances of the truth of this doctrine. 

 ^'When a very young man," he says, "I re- 

 member purchasing a horse at a fair in the 

 336 



north of England, that was offered very cheap, 

 on account of his being unmanageable. Ifc 

 was said that nobody could ride him. I found 

 that the animal objected to have anvthing 

 placed on his back, and that, when made to 

 move forward with nothing more than a saddle 

 on, he instantly threw himself down on his 

 side with great violence, and would then en- 

 deavour to roll upon his back. 



"There was, at that time, in Yorkshire, a 

 famous colt-breaker, known by the name of 

 ' Jumper,' who was almost as celebrated in 

 that country for- taming vicious horses into 

 submission, as the famed ' Whisperer' was in 

 Ireland. I put this animal into * Jumper's' 

 hands, who took him away, and in about ten 

 days brought him home again, certainly not 

 looking worse in condition, but perfectly sub- 

 dued, and almost as obedient as a dog ; for he 

 would lie down at this man's bidding, and only 

 rise again at his command, and carry double or 

 anything. I took to riding him myself, and 

 may say, that I was never better carried for 

 six or eight months, during which time he 

 never showed the least vice whatever. I then 

 sold him to a Lincolnshire farmer, who said 

 that he would give him a summer's run at grass? 

 and show him a very fine horse at the great 

 Horncastle fair. 



" Happening to meet this gentleman the fol- 

 lowing year, I naturally enough inquired after 

 my old friend. ' Oh,' said he, ' that was a bad 

 business — the horse turned out a sad rebel. 

 The first time we attempted to mount him, 

 after getting him up from grass, he in an in- 

 stant threw the man down with the greatest 

 violence, pitching him several yards over his 

 head ; and, after that, he threw every one that 

 attempted to get on his back. If he could not 

 throw his rider, he would throw himself down. 

 We could do nothing with him, and I was 

 obliged at last to sell him to go in a stage- 

 coach.' " 



In the next story, "Jumper's" counterpart, 

 and superior, the Irish " Whisperer," is brought 

 on the stage, and, although he performs won- 

 ders, he cannot radically cure a restive horse. 

 "At the Spring Meeting of 1804, Mr. Whal- 

 ley's 'King Pippin' was brought on the Cur- 

 rai^h, at Kildare, to run. He was a horse of the 

 most extraordinarily savage and vicious dispo- 

 sition. His particular propensity was that of 



