506 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. 



to, I went to Ohio, where I became acquainted with R. P. 

 Hamilton, a very unique character, who was engaged in the 

 horse-taming business. He was a natural showman, and 

 combined with his performances, tricks of legerdemain. 

 Though very successful at the time, his modes of treatment 

 were extremely limited. 



Yet to this man belongs the undoubted honor of 

 originating the idea of throwing, on the principle of the 

 First Method. But his way of doing it was so crude and 

 imperfect that there was almost constant danger of seriously 

 injuring or killing the horse. The leg was tied up as done 

 by Rarey, and a surcingle put on in the same manner, with 

 the addition of back band and crupper attached. The end 

 of the cord was tied around the neck, as for first form of 

 War Bridle, thence through the mouth, and back through 

 the ring on the surcingle. 



When the cord was pulled upon, it would necessarily 

 rake so severely across the mouth that, if it was at all 

 sensitive, the horse was liable to rear up and throw himself 

 over backward ; while if stiff-necked and dull-mouthed, 

 there would not be sufficient power to pull the head to one 

 side. If pulled upon straight back, on a line with the 

 body, as he was in the habit of doing, the difficulty and 

 danger would be still greater. 



These objections I overcome by putting on a halter 

 with the strap back of the jaw, drawn rather tight, over 

 which I pass a cord, and to increase the purchase, tie the 

 end around the surcingle above the ring. This improve- 

 ment not only more than doubles the purchase power upon 

 the head, but entirely overcomes the objection of hurting 

 the mouth. In this way the horse was brought off his feet 

 and upon his side as desired, thereby proving it to be not 

 only a simple and safe but very powerful means of subjec- 

 tion. See illustrations on pages 371-376. 



