266 The Horse Iistdustry ix New York State 



Let us see if an attempt to puzzle out or analyze this power 

 will not result in establishing its source. We may start with the 

 assumption that the numerous terms in common use to define this 

 power — charm, gift, personal magnetism, will power, natural 

 instinct — go to show that its existence is recognized beyond 

 doubt or question. An analogous power of control exist- 

 ing between man and man is familiar under the names of 

 hypnotism, magiietism, mesmerism, or kindred mind-power mani- 

 festations. All mind-power manifestation, under whatever name, 

 is, I believe, subject to one universal condition, namely, consent. 

 The resemblance between the terms generally adopted in attempt- 

 ing to describe the power that some men have over their mounts, 

 and the terms by which wo try to describe hypnotism and other 

 mind-power manifestations between men and men, is significant. 

 One set of words applies just as fairly to the power some men are 

 capable of exerting over some other men as they do to the powers 

 which great animal tamers or our peculiarly gifted horsemen have 

 over the animals they bend to their wills. That some men possess 

 this power over animals and are unconscious of exerting it is no 

 proof that the power does not exist. Hypnotism, though old in | 

 essence, is in practice very lately out of its infancy, yet making 

 vast progress. Several physicians of my acquaintance are mak- 

 ing use of it with most satisfactory results, even employing it in 

 place of antiseptics when performing dental and surgical opera- 

 tions. So rapidly has this subject developed of late in the medi- 

 cal world that one of the most successful physicians of today 

 says : '^ Within ten years from now no student of medicine will 

 be considered master of the profession unless he is able to com- 

 mand this power." If this mind power between man and man is 

 the same as that between man and beast, we have probably what 

 may be termed a w^orking hypothesis covering the whole field and 

 reasonably accounting for many otherwise unaccountable things 

 in the way of horsemanship. 



We noticed, under the subject of mind-power manifestations 

 as between man and man, that the one common factor prevailing 

 in all is consent, which has its parallel in the relatiou between 

 man and beast, called by whatever name. In all hunting coun- 

 tries there is a saying that in order to be successful in horseman- 

 ship one must first get on good terms with one's mount. Getting 



