50 



METHODS OF SUBJECTION. 



the center of a cord under the bridle so as to rest upon this 

 point, and bringing both ends through the rings of the bit 



and carrying back 

 for reins, would usu- 

 ally make the horse 

 drive in a short time 

 to a slack rein. 



I was not, how- 

 ever, led to make 

 any special effort to 

 study out the key 

 of this principle of 

 subjection until in a 

 chance way I heard 



Fig. 44.— Holding cord when through the mouth. ^^ ^ man who in 



breaking colts brought a cord moderately tight two or three 

 times around the head. This, with the remembrance of the 

 effects before referred to, led me to experiment carefully 

 with a cord in this way, but found it gave but little more 

 power of control than a common war bridle, and I aban- 

 doned its use. At the time, I carried canvas, visiting only, 

 large centers, which gave me all the opportunity I wished 

 for using the First and Second Methods, and I rarely found 

 a horse that would not submit to these methods. One day, 

 however, a vicious, kicking mare was brought in that re- 

 sisted my regular treatment ; for, once warming up in har- 

 ness, she would kick in spite of all that could be done. I 

 was led instinctively to try the effect of extreme pressure, 

 and, without stopping to reason upon the matter, kept on 

 winding the cord until I used nearly one hundred feet of 

 hard, Avell-stretched cord. I let her stand about fifteen min- 

 utes, when upon trial 1 found her perfectly submissive. I 



