TAMING HORSES. 65 



I had gentled in his presence, a few days before, 

 sent for me, telling me he had a horse of great value, 

 that he had given only five hundred dollars for, 

 on account of a defect, or vice, that the horse had 

 contracted two years before, and which had aug- 

 mented to such a degree, that he would have killed 

 any one that would have attempted to put a bri- 

 dle on him, or touch him about the ears. He 

 asked me if I thought I could cure him of this evil 

 habit. I told him I would try; and, accordingly, 

 I sent every person aw^ay, and went in to the horse. 

 I had taken the precaution of having a halter 

 (jaguima) put upon him before-hand, and a long 

 rope, dragging upon the ground, tied to it. In 

 order to put this halter upon him, they had to 

 throw a rope upon his legs, and tie them, and an- 

 other around his nose ; and this was a ceremony 

 they had to perform every time they j^ut the bri- 

 dle on him. When I had got in where the horse 

 was, I took up the rope and advanced, holding out 

 my left hand, as when I break a wild horse, and 

 came up to him. I used a great deal of precaution, 

 when I touched him in the forehead for the first 

 time, as I do with a horse belonging to the first 

 class, that is, those that seem to fear nothing ; and, . 

 continuing on in this manner, gradually ascending, 

 making my fingers play upon his forehead with 

 great rapidity — gaining ground so slow, that I re- 

 6* E 



