72 TAMING HORSES. 



persuaded that my horse is possessed with the 

 devil. For, when the holy personage came up to 

 take him by the bridle to get on him, he was so 

 frightened, and wheeled round so quick, and flew 

 away from him with so much terror, that one 

 would have said he took him for the destroying 

 angel. The friar crossed himself many times, hur- 

 ried away with all haste to his convent, to sprinkle 

 himself abundantly with holy water, and never 

 asked my friend for his horse again. 



TO TEACH YOUR HORSE, SO THAT HE WILL 



LET NO ONE BUT YOURSELF COME NEAR 



HIM. 



Whilst your horse is eating, let another person 

 come in to him with a stick sharpened at the end. 

 Let him prick his nose with it, to irritate him ; 

 but slightly, drawing back at the same time. Let 

 him repeat the same an instant afterwards, and 

 every time the horse begins to eat again. Come to 

 him yourself, and caress him and talk to him. Go 

 out again, and cause another person to come in 

 with the sharpened stick; but not the same one 

 that came in at first. Let him fret him in the 

 same manner as the other did. Call him out and 

 go in yourself; handle the horse gently, and talk 



