b'2 THE ART OF TAMING HORSES. 



time, say in a quarter or half an hour. I never knew 

 one to be much longer without turning towards me. 



" At the very moment he turns his head, hold out 

 your left hand towards him, and stand perfectly still, 

 keeping your eyes upon the horse, watching his motions, 

 if he makes any. If the horse does not stir for ten or 

 fifteen minutes, advance as slowly as possible, and with- 

 out making the least noise, always holding out your left 

 hand, without any other ingredient in it than what nature 

 put in it." He says, " I have made use of certain in- 

 gredients before people, such as the sweat under my arm, 

 &c., to disguise the real secret, and many believed that 

 the docility to which the horse arrived in so short a time 

 was owing to these ingredients : but you see from this 

 explanation that they were of no use whatever. The 

 implicit faith placed in these ingredients, though inno- 

 cent of themselves, becomes ' faith without works.' And 

 thus men remained always in doubt concerning the 

 secret. If the horse makes the least motion when you 

 advance towards him, stop, and remain perfectly still 

 until he is quiet. Eemain a few moments in this con- 

 dition, and then advance again in the same slow and 

 almost imperceptible manner. Take notice — if the 

 horse stirs, stop, without changing your position. It is 

 very uncommon for the horse to stir more than once 

 after you begin to advance, yet there are exceptions. He 

 generally keeps his eyes steadfast on you, until you get 

 near enough to touch him on the forehead. When you 

 are thus near to him, raise slowly and by degrees your 

 hand, and let it come in contact with that part just 

 above the nostrils, as lightly as possible. If the horse 

 flinches (as many will), repeat with great rapidity these 

 light strokes upon the forehead, going a little farther up 

 towards his ears by degrees, and descending with the 



