CHAPTER III. 



THE AMEEICAN ART OF TAMING, AND BREAKING HORSES. 



GEIGINALLY SYSTEMATIZED AND PKACTIOED 

 BY JOHN S. EAREY. 



ITS HISTORY. 



The first person of whom we have any knowledge as practising 

 horse-taming was a Moor, and was a man of immense muscular 

 power, and upon this, in a contest with a horse he depended for 

 success. 



The second horse-tamer was called Jumper, and lived in York- 

 shire, England. Of the power of Jumper over the horse, Mr 

 Castly relates the following incident : — "When a young man . 

 purchased a horse at a fair that was offered very cheap, because 

 he was unmanageable. No body could ride him. He objected to 

 having anything upon his back, and when made to move forward 

 with nothing but a saddle on him, he would throw himself down 

 upon his side with great violence and roll over. Jumper took 

 this animal away and in ten days brought him back again, in as 

 good condition, but perfectly subdued and almost as obedient as 

 a dog — he would lie down at this man's bidding, and only raise 

 at his command, and would carry double or anythmg-. i took to 

 riding him myself, and may say, that I was never better carried 

 for six or eight months, during which time hu never showe 1 tho 

 least vice whatever. 1 sold him to a Lmcolnshiix- farmer, who 

 said he would give him a summer's run to grass, aiiJ sliew him t\ 

 very fine horse at the great Horncastle Horse Fair. 



Next upon the stage, sve find Sullivan, the '•Whisperer." — 

 This man is described in Croker's '•'Fairy Legends and TraX. 

 ditions of Ireland,''^ as follows: — 'He was an awkward, ignoran- 



