66 TAMING HORSES. 



undertake a journey of a tliousand miles, the very 

 next day alter being broken, without any kind of 

 fear of hin becotninj^ refractory on the road. 



To come now to thcj most important part of the 

 secret. I observed, in the beginning of my dis- 

 course u])on tlie experinients I had made, tiiat I was 

 surprised to liiid one of the horses 1 had gentled 

 the day before, almost as wild as ever, and one of 

 the oLiiers had remained perfectly gentle. I saw 

 there was something lacking. I therefore broke 

 another; and, after having finished, I tied him in 

 a stable. I went to him at night, and made a 

 little negro boy handhi him a quarter of an hour: 

 gave him half a s[)()onful of line salt, and not 

 more than about half as nmch as he would eat. 

 Early in the morning, I went to him again, 

 handled him in tlie foreiiead and all over, and 

 took up his feet, &c., &c., for a quarter of an hour : 

 took him to wat(M'; fetched him back; gave him 

 another spoonful of fine salt, and plenty to eat 

 afterwards. I rode him a couple of miles, and 

 then let him loose. The next day, I caught him 

 in the yard, amongst the other horses, without 

 throwing the rope, and he remained gentle ever 

 after. The first day you break a horse, it is al- 

 ways good to ride him two or three miles; if fur- 

 ther, it will do him no hurt. The first time you 

 ride him out, it will be well enough to accompany 



