THE McVAY HORSE. 213 



to break me down, told their superintendent to join the 

 class, and take her in ; that they did not care if she was 

 killed ; for as they could not break her they did not wish 

 to breed from her, and she was, consequently, good for 

 nothing. A few who were let into the secret came for- 

 ward and bought tickets, feeling sure that they could get 

 their money back, not having the most remote idea that 

 the mare could be driven in the time specified. Upon see- 

 ing her, I saw at once that she was one of the worst kick- 

 ers I ever had brought me to experiment upon before a 

 class ; and that to succeed at all, it must be by a well-di- 

 rected and supreme effort, a sort of rush that would break 

 up her confidence before she warmed up. 



She was subjected to First Method, as a matter of trial, 

 which she did not resist, and it was, in consequence, use- 

 less in her case. The Third Method was next used, and 

 carried to the utmost of what could be done with it, and 

 followed quickly with the Second. The important point 

 to which I wish to call attention in the management of this 

 case is, that it was made effective only by forcing her rap- 

 idly with a whip (as explained in the application of the 

 treatment at the close of the last case), after which she was 

 harnessed quickly, and rushed around the ring rapidly with- 

 out kicking back once successfully. A little time was now 

 taken in testing her, to which she submitted uncondition- 

 ally, when the doors were thrown open, and she was driven 

 up and down the street to the surprise of all who knew her. 

 All was done within forty minutes. It was yet believed 

 by the owners, and all who knew her, that she would be 

 as bad as ever the next day. I cautioned the man who 

 brought her in (who was claimed to be one of the best 

 horsemen in the country) to test her very carefully, by 

 partly repeating the treatment for several days ; and doing 

 this I thought he would be able to hold her gentle. 



