WITH THE HEADEJK. 461 



most ignorant man I ever knew in the business was the 

 greatest pretender, and a good type of the many pretentious 

 horse-tamers who have of late years infested the country. 

 One of the points that impressed me most forcibly in ques- 

 tioning the genuineness of Mr. Rarey's pretensions, was 

 his bold assumption of claiming to know the horse's every 

 thought, and to be able to subdue any horse or animal in 

 the world, a boast that he repeated nearly every time he 

 appeared before the public. 



Notwithstanding I handled daily all sorts of horses, 

 and was fortunate enough not to have any serious accidents 

 occur, I never handled a horse of decided courage and 

 spirit that I was not doubtful of succeeding without more 

 or less trouble or accident. Many a time, in handling a 

 critical case, my nervous system would seem to be fairly 

 chilled with anxiety and apprehension, until I had suc- 

 ceeded. The greater my experience and opportunity for 

 studying horses, the more could 1 see reasons for the 

 greatest care and attention to every detail. A little care- 

 lessness, for example, might cause a horse to slip and break 

 his leg, or be otherwise seriously injured. I have known 

 horses when even led out by the halter, in jumping around, 

 to break the leg, or be seriously lamed. Because there has 

 been no accident, it should not be accepted as reason for 

 not anticipating danger in future cases. No violent lung- 

 ing, or careless, hap-hazard throwing, should be permitted, 

 especially in the management of sensitive, valuable horses. 

 It is as much the part of success to prevent accidents as 

 to ultimately subduo the horse; because carelessness, or 

 management that would expose the horse to strain or 

 serious injury, would destroy the very object and value of 

 the treatment. Every precaution should be taken in 

 securing a good place for operations, with every requisite 

 for the sure and easy control of the case. Nothing should 

 be hazarded to chance. 



