MB. EAEET.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[mme. isabelle. 



leg must now be raised as high as possible, 

 and the tail well handled. The same process 

 is then to be carried out on the left side of 

 the colt, which concludes the handling. Should 

 any disposition to restiveness be exhibited on 

 the part of the colt, both of the fore logs must 

 be immediately strapped up, and the animal 

 brought to the ground upon his knees. If 

 there is not about the depth of a foot of straw 

 on the ground, knee-caps should be employed 

 'for protection. Tor the near fore leg, the 

 strap should be an inch in breadth, and about 

 three feet in length. When the colt is 

 strapped well up, he is induced to more about 

 on three legs, the bridle being used in such a 

 manner as to effect this. When the animal 

 becomes reconciled to this condition, the 

 handling of the body and hind legs is again 

 proceeded with. When this is borne with suffi- 

 cient patience, a surcingle or roller should be 

 fastened round the body. Should there be 

 any restiveness shown by the animal while 

 bending up the near fore leg alone, the off 

 fore leg must at once be proceeded with. 



The strap for this purpose must be about 

 six feet in length, of the thickness of a strong 

 rein, and about an inch or an inch and a 

 quarter in width. It has a loop of three 

 inches, or a metal D at one end. The loop or 

 D is passed round the pastern of the off fore 

 leg, the point of the strap taken through it, 

 and the strap drawn tight to the pastern. 

 The point of the strap is then carried within 

 the surcingle or roller, and held tightly in the 

 right hand. When the operator is desirous 

 of raising the off fore leg, he inclines the head 

 of the colt, by the aid of the bridle, to the 

 right or left hand ; and the instant the foot is 

 removed, it is drawn up to the surcingle with 

 force, and retained in that position, if possible. 

 Generally speaking, a succession of violent 

 plunges will succeed the fall, during the whole 

 of which the person must retain his hold upon 

 the leg ; and, by placing his shoulder to the 

 near forehand of the horse, with a strong 

 bearing upon the off-rein to bend the head 

 and neck outwards, so that the animal cannot 

 collect with advantage his muscular force, 

 be is soon compelled to yield up the con- 

 test. 



AVhen the animal has become quiet, the 

 head, neck, body, limbs, and tail, should be 

 340 



handled in succession, until he is completely 

 resigned to the process, and several opportuni- 

 ties should be taken to sit down upon tho 

 body, the forehand, and the hind quarters. 

 Whilst this is going on, the saddle, without 

 girths, or stirrups, may, for a short time, be 

 placed on the body, or the harness laid upon 

 the hind quarters. When you have to deal 

 with a Zebra, or a horse as savage and 

 wicked as " Cruizer" — a horse that can kick as 

 fiercely from one leg, as others can from two — 

 in that case, to subdue and compel him to lie 

 down, have a leather surcingle, with a ring 

 fastened to the belly-part ; buckle the hobbles 

 on the hind legs, and pass the ropes through 

 the ring. When the horse is thrown down 

 by strapping up the fore legs, the hind legs 

 must be drawn close up to the ring in the 

 surcingle. By-and-by the animal becomes 

 quite tamed, and is thoroughly subdued. 

 Gentleness, as far as it can possibly be prac- 

 tised, is the rule in Mr. Barey's system ; and 

 in no case is the whip or stick used, if it can 

 be avoided. 



We now come to the system of Madame 

 Isabelle, who received testimonials from almost 

 all the continental authorities ; and her success 

 at the cavalry depot at Maidstone was un- 

 rivalled and unquestioned. She there broke- 

 in a horse in six lessons, the property of Lord 

 Granville ; and the feat was accomplished in 

 the presence of the Duke of AVellington, Lord 

 Zetland, General Murray, and others. But 

 what was more extraordinary, she caused the 

 horse to be broken-in by the groom of Lord 

 Granville, whom she instructed at the same 

 time in equitation. On one occasion she had a 

 mare, which had the bad habit of taking a 

 branch of the bit between her teeth, which 

 were by no means easily re-opened — and run- 

 ning away with her rider, according to her 

 own good will and pleasure. She "stood 

 over" before, and " out" behind ; in conse- 

 quence of the abuse of the " bridoon," her 

 houghs were in very bad condition, although 

 well-shaped. Madame Isabelle undertook, 

 nevertheless, to bring them round and break 

 her in, which certainly was not an easy task, 

 when the temper and physical defects of the 

 brute were considered. She succeeded, how- 

 ever, to a most extraordinary degree, and finally 

 made her " coquette" as elegant an animal 



