512 AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK 



easy that no intelligent farmer or farm-hand, of ordinary 

 strength and activity, need be afraid to subject his powers 

 to the experimental test of the Rarey method. But in Mr. 

 Rarey's own practice and instructions no assistant was al- 

 lowed the operator — a limitation which was compensated in 

 a slight degree, however, by the addition of a surcingle, 

 buckled on as represented in the portrait of " Cruiser," page 

 509, and also in that on page 511, which shows the whole 

 apparatus arranged for the final struggle between the horse 

 and his tamer. Here it will be seen that the leg-strap is 

 passed through the surcingle, under the belly. It is grasped 

 by the right hand, well gloved, just back of the surcingle, 

 while the left hand manages the bridle-reins. The horse is 

 urged to move a little, which he can only do by hopping, 

 when suddenly the left leg is drawn up to the surcingle and 

 there kept. At this,. he falls on his knees, of course; but, 

 if possessed of any spirit, he will soon begin bounding into 

 the air upon his hind legs; and then the operator must be 

 active and on the alert, using both hands, as above directed, 

 to the best possible advantage, and never getting so far for- 

 ward as to expose himself to the danger of being caught 

 under the horse when he falls upon his knees. Sooner or 

 later the animal will become exhausted, whether he resists 

 by violent plunges or sulkily remains on his knees, and 

 when this takes place he will be glad to lie down of his 

 own accord. The right rein must be kept tight, so as to 

 keep his head turned away toward the off-side, and, if need 

 be, the operator may use the further argument of a little 

 pressure, exerted to pull the horse toward himself. A man 

 of nerve and activity, especially after he has had a little ex- 

 perience, is likely to prefer carrying the process through with- 

 out the aid of an assistant. * 



Once fairly subdued by these means, and lying upon his 

 side, the horse will be indisposed to get up for the present, 

 and now comes the golden opportunity for profiting by all 

 that is past. The animal must be treated with the utmost 

 gentleness, and every effort made to quiet his fears and 



