66 



Then we had later breakers, with more scientific 

 and humane methods, and there is no doubt in the 

 minds of horsemen that their methods reached further 

 and attained better results than Rarey's, although 

 many parts of them are by no means practicable. 

 They profess to be able to '' mouth " a colt in about 

 two hours, and this, as every experienced horseman 

 knows, is a physical impossibility. The mouth of a 

 colt cannot be thoroughly well made within a period 

 of two or three weeks. Handling a colt in a covered 

 arena, full of spectators, is a very different thing from 

 handling one in the open. The circumscribed space 

 and the number of people present arrest the colt's 

 attention, and he will almost suffer any liberties to 

 be taken with him in consequence, but, when he 

 comes to be dealt with in the open, all his supposed 

 training in the arena is forgotten. 



Another method of breaking, though more 

 recent, is also very impracticable at many of its 

 stages. The theory of kindness is sadly contradicted 

 in many ways by the practice of this method. 

 Throwing down horses, hoppling them with cords, 

 levering the pressure on the mouth through catch- 

 rings, tying the feet to the tail, and a dozen other 

 absurdities come nearer the mark of being cruel than 

 humane. The writer had the opportunity of witness- 

 ing some performances recently, and from the beating 

 of drums, firing of pistols, and blowing of steam 

 whistles in a gas -lighted arena amidst hundreds of 

 spectators, the terrified horses had little chance to 



