22 A PECULIAR CASE. 



I refer to these cases, to show that assumed experience 

 is not all that is demanded. Behind all this, patient, 

 sound judgment is necessary in working horses of a sensi- 

 tive but courageous character. 



A PECULIAR CASE. 



In my long experience, I have had many peculiar 

 phases of equine nature to deal with ; to one or two of a 

 very unusual type of resistance I will here allude. In 

 the winter and spring of 1868, I made a campaign in Mis- 

 sissippi, at a place north of Pickens Station. I had a 

 large class and only one subject, a sleepy-looking, nine- 

 year-old sorrel, of medium size, half mustang and half 

 thoroughbred. He worked nicely until put in harness, 

 where he kicked with all the desperation of a maniac. It 

 was a cool, sullen, desperate struggle : beyond all compar- 

 ison the worst I ever had found. I could not drive the 

 horse in the time I advertised, without his kicking, and 

 offered to give each his money back, but they would not 

 let me off in that way. They said, " We want you to drive 

 that horse, as you advertised." I did every thing possible 

 to break him, but it was all a complete failure ; he would 

 kick in defiance of all I could do. I worked all day upon 

 the horse, and when night came could not see that I had 

 made the least headway toward success. He would kick 

 in the same cool, terrible manner : when held too closely, 

 he would settle down on his belly like a hog, and sulk. 

 (Did not have passive treatment then, which would have 

 controlled this case easily.) I did all tflat human skill 

 could do, and it was a complete failure ; and, with the state 

 of public feeling shown, I felt my life would be endangered 

 if I failed to subdue the brute. The next morning I felt 

 sore and tired. After breakfast I went out and found the 

 horse looking and feeling as well as ever ; and, to look at 

 him in the stall, he seemed as gentle as any family horse : 

 his mouth only showed the effects of the struggle for that 

 was pretty sore from the use of the breaking-bit, which I 

 used then in a much less effective form than I do now. I 

 put on the harness, and a gentle, sharp pull made him 

 give to the bit freely. My blood was up, and I sent that 

 horse back against the reach of an old lumber wagon 



