CHAPTER XV. 



FAMILIAR TALK WITH THE READER. 



IT may be asked, " Have you given in this work all the 

 secrets of your system?" I answer. Yes, without any 

 reservation whatever. In the development of the principles 

 presented in these pages, I was compelled at first to grad- 

 ually feel my way, as it were, following up every clue that 

 promised success, until, by practice and experience, the 

 principles and methods of treatment herein given were de- 

 veloped, which must be considered as constituting a com- 

 plete system. 



The one important point in which I was most interested, 

 and of which I made a specialty, was the art of direct sub- 

 jection, to learn how far I could be successful in changing 

 and holding the character as desired. With a variety of 

 the most difficult cases to treat almost daily, I was com- 

 pelled to demonstrate the practical value of every phase of 

 treatment that promised good results, even including the 

 various kinds of drugs supposed to be effective in taming 

 horses. 



In time I noticed the peculiarities of disposition and 

 character upon which certain lines or combinations of treat- 

 ment would have the best effect, until I was able to system- 

 atize the treatment, with great accuracy, to every condi- 

 tion of temperament and character of resistance. If not 

 sure of the best treatment to use, I soon learned it by 

 what I termed testing, or exciting the horse sufficiently to 



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