HISTOEICAL FACTB. 365 



principle that many headstrong horses can be driven gentle 

 by checking the head high. A man named 



who had considerable notoriety as a horse-tamer in England 

 nearly one hundred 

 years ago, based 

 his whole success 

 in the management 

 of horses upon ty- 

 ing up the fore leg, 

 Avhen he would 

 mount and ride the ^^^- "'^-^^^ ^"°'-^*'''^p ^^^•^• 



horse until gentle. Disabling, or tying up both fore legs, 

 and throwing the horse down, carried this principle to still 

 greater perfection. The first published account I find of 

 this method of subjugation being practiced was by a man 

 named 



who lived in Stanton-le-Vale, Lincolnshire, England. This 

 man had quite a local reputation for his power over horses. 

 A correspondent of " Bell's Life," published in London, who 

 gave Bull one guinea to teach him the secret, described his 

 method as follows : — 



First, buckle a surcingle around the body ; second, tie 

 up the fore leg by buckling a strap tightly around the foot 

 and fore-arm ; next, attach a strap to the off fore foot, bring 

 it over the horse's back, and grasp it firmly with the right 

 hand. With the left, catch the near rein of the bridle, and 

 pull the head around toward you. When the horse is made 

 to step, pull the foot from under him, bringing him on his 

 knees, when in a short time he will lie down ; this was the 

 whole secret. In the account, the correspondent referred 

 to Bull's control of several horses^ niaking them lie down^ 

 get up, etc., at command, 



