SOME NOTABLE HORSE-BREAKERS 195 



and many were the tales told of his success in taming 

 unmanageable horses. That evening he was accordingly 

 sent for ; and having arrived, and being requested to try his 

 skill upon King Pippin, he fearlessly walked into the stable, 

 closed the door, and remained shut up with him all night. 

 In the morning the hitherto "savager" followed him like 

 a dog. He was brought out the same evening and won 

 a race, and he continued docile for three years, when his 

 vice returned, and then he killed a man, for which he was 

 destroyed. A year or two later Colonel Westenra (after- 

 wards Lord Rossmore) had a splendid racehorse named 

 Rainbow, whom he wished to run at the Curragh ; but the 

 horse was so vicious that he could not pull him out. Lord 

 Doneraile said he knew a fellow who would cure the brute. 

 This the Colonel utterly refused to believe, and betted him 

 a thousand pounds he did not. On this Lord Doneraile 

 sent for Con Sullivan, whose cognomen of" The Whisperer" 

 was due to the supposition that he whispered into the 

 horses' ears. When he was told the state of the Colonel's 

 horse, he asked if he might go into his stable. " Wait till 

 his head is tied up," said the groom. " No occasion," said 

 Con ; " he won't bite mey So in he went, after ordering no 

 one to follow him until he signalled, then shut the door. In 

 a quarter of an hour the signal was given. Those outside 

 then rushed in ; and found the horse on his back, playing 

 like a kitten with the Whisperer, who was sitting by him. 

 Both appeared exhausted, particularly the man, to whom it 

 was necessary to administer brandy. The horse was per- 

 fectly tame and gentle from that day. 



The latest professor of the art of horse-taming was Mr 

 Loffler, who reduced to absolute gentleness the notorious 

 man-eating Barcaldine, who savaged every groom and 

 stable-boy that came within his reach. 



Mr Loffler's plan was to give Barcaldine a boxing-glove 

 to shake. He then gradually got hold of the horse's ears, 

 and in a short time soothed him. Asked if he were not 

 afraid of the man-eater, Mr Loffler replied : " Afraid of 

 Barcaldine ! tut, tut — I would drive him in a cab at this 

 moment." 



When Mr Walton brought the American mare Giroflee 



