130 THE HORSE. 



anything, signify that is only necessary to allow a horse to exa- 

 mine the drum and he will show no fear of it. But is this the 

 real fact ? I trow not. Before a high-couraged horse will allow 

 a drum to be beaten on his back he must either submit to a long 

 course of training under the old system, or he must go through 

 the royal road of Mr. Rarey, of which nothing whatever is said 

 in the three principles alluded to. Take an ordinary hunter after 

 he is exhausted by a long run, and he will bear the noise of a 

 drum, or any other alarming agent, to which he would, when fresh 

 and active, show the greatest objection. Why, then, should we 

 be astonished that a shorter method of exhausting the nervous 

 energy should have the same effect, even if it is shown in a still 

 more remarkable manner, as we shall presently see it is ? As far, 

 therefore, as Mr. Rarey's principles are concerned I have little to 

 say against them, except that if the third is meant to apply to the 

 exhibition of the drum beaten on the backs of his several subjects, 

 it is not very ingenuous in the language which is used. 



Before Mr. Rarey came to England he had, as I have 

 already remarked, published in America a little pamphlet which 

 described his several plans for driving a colt from pasture ; — driv- 

 ing into a stable and haltering, and the kind of halter used, &c. 

 It also contained an account of an experiment with a robe, show- 

 ing that the horse, as soon as he discovers by his senses that an 

 object has no power or will to hurt him, goes up to it, and soon 

 becomes regardless of its presence. All these remarks, however, 

 have no interest for my readers, as they are of no utility whatever, 

 and the sole remaining contents of the pages which were published 

 by Messrs Routledge, and received with so much interest in this 

 country, were the directions for throwing the horse, and afterwards 

 handling, or " gentling" him, as the American operator calls the 

 stroking the limbs, which he always puts into practice after the 

 horse is down. If this little book had been published a few months 

 earlier it would have entirely destroyed the pecuniary prospects 

 of the partners, but coming late as it did, it prevented the pay- 

 ment of any more ten guinea subscriptions, and reduced the charge 

 for the sight of the process to guinea and half-guinea tickets for 

 seats at the Alhambra. I shall, therefore, proceed to describe the 

 casting process, as witnessed by myself, and then examine into its 

 nature and effect upon the horse, whether in breaking or taming 

 him. 



The apparatus which is required is, first of all, an ordinary 

 snaffle or straight bit in the mouth, without which nothing could 

 be done with any vicious horse ; and if any animal is to be " Ra- 

 reyfied," the preliminary operation is to get this into the mouth. 

 Stafford was brought to Mr. Rarey with the aid of guide-ropes, 

 which were fastened to his head and held by grooms on each side 



