INTRODUCTION. 9 



from the use of horses ? And how many horses of spirit 

 do we find that do not have some one or more of these 

 habits that have been mentioned ? 



Now if we can prevent or overcome all this without 

 abuse or accident, saving at least nineteen twentieths of 

 the time employed in breaking them, and give assurance of 

 their entire subjection and safety, it is certainly deserving 

 of being ranked among the most important features of 

 benevolence and economy to the people of the country. 



There have not been wanting at different times many 

 who have pretended to be able to tame and control horses 

 of the most vicious character, but upon investigation it has 

 proved that their success was based upon a very slender 

 knowledge of the art. Whatever has been my own success, 

 it is a slow growth, the result of long-continued observation 

 and experimenting, following up every apparent or real 

 clue that promised success, until I learned how to act 

 directly upon the horse's brain, and to influence it as 

 desired. My progress at first was very slow and uncertain, 

 and I was exposed almost constantly to failures. This, 

 though annoying and frequently discouraging, was the only 

 means of instruction by which I was finally able to grasp 

 the subject with sufficient clearness to reduce the knowledge 

 to a practical basis. 



During the early part of my experience I was greatly 

 misled, and consequently lost much valuable time in 

 experimenting on wrong principles and methods of treat- 

 ment, and was compelled to abandon such methods by 

 reason of failures. In this way I was led to study out new 

 principles and methods of treatment adapted to the various 

 peculiarities of disposition and character in horses, until I 

 was able to discern with great certainty the exact treatment 

 for each case. 



The prevailing lack of confidence in my principles and 



