16 INTRODUCTION. 



to deposit the food, shut the door, and vanish as soon as possible. 

 Mr. Rarey changed all this in a moment as it were. He ordered 

 the stable door to be thrown open, introduced himself according to 

 his system, "without delay, and in half an hour the indomitable 

 Cruiser might be ridden by a child, could listen tranquilly to the 

 beating of a drum, and stand serene even if an umbrella were 

 flourished in his face. Gentle as a lamb, he followed his teacher 

 about the arena like a dog, stopping when he pointed his finger, 

 lying down when he was told, rising again when he obtained 

 permission, and doing all this in a mild, good-humored sort of 

 way, as if the wish to oblige was the sole ruling motive, and that 

 the now docile Cruiser was totally unaware of that terrible array 

 of whips and spurs, bits and muzzles, with which his first teachers 

 had sought to check his ferocity and bring him to reason. The 

 speedy, easy, and complete success of Mr. Rarey, in this remarka- 

 ble case, gave him, at once, the most flattering and exalted repu- 

 tation from one end of Europe to the other. 



"On Mr. Rarey 's appearance at Niblo's in New York, he 

 exhibited this renowned specimen of the equine race an animal 

 over sixteen hands high, and of immense bone and muscle and 

 said : ' When I went to England and exhibited there, the papers 

 all said, "This is very well, but try Cruiser!" I immediately 

 wrote to Lord Dorchester about the horse, and he replied that the 

 horse could not be brought to me, but that I must come to him. 

 I did go to him. The horse had not been out of his box for three 

 years ; a brick stable had to be built for him, and he would have 

 been shot, but he was the last of a race of splendid blood-horses, 

 and his owner was anxious to preserve him if possible. I found 

 that by his biting and kicking he had so injured himself that he 

 could not be taken out of his box, and so I had to wait for his 

 recovery. I went down to see him, quietly and unknown, but 

 somehow the papers got hold of it, and everybody said I dared 

 not go near Cruiser. ' Under these circumstances, Mr. Rarey was 

 detained some three weeks, when he went to London accompanied 

 by the now subdued steed. 



"The collar and muzzle which Cruiser used to wear were 

 exhibited by Mr. Rarey. His owner could place them upon him 

 only by letting a rope down through the roof of his stall, fastening 

 it under his neck, and raising him off his fore feet. The exhibition 

 at Niblo's was the first time Cruiser had been on the stage in 

 America. 'We have/ said Mr. Rarey, 'had no rehearsal ; but 

 instead of kicking, as he used, he will now (as you see) give me 

 his foot like a gentleman.' Two straps were now shown, being 

 all that had been used in taming this horse. Mr. Rarey, on being 

 asked to explain more particularly how he approached Cruiser, 

 said : ' I think horses have a reason for everything they do. I 



