368 MANAGEMENT OP ROAD AND DRIVING HORSES. 



farm, driven on the road, or even on the race track, were those 

 who used the whip the least. In driving many different horses, 

 of as many different dispositions, I have had at various times 

 many occasions for the use of the whip ; but in all cases I en- 

 deavor to have the horse fully understand why I use it and for 

 what purpose. 



In former times, when serving at county or state fairs as a 

 committee on oxen and steers, I have admonished exhibitors in 

 reference to the too free use of the lash — advising them to do 

 their training and necessary whipping at home; then bring 

 their trained animals only to the fair for exhibition, and not 

 make too much of an exhibit of themselves or of their method 

 of training steers. 



While on this subject of training for fairs and the use of 

 the whip, perhaps it may not appear as too great a digression 

 from the subject under consideration for me to relate a little 

 circumstance of several years ago. In September, 1873, I ex- 

 hibited a beautiful pair of Devon steers at the Windham county 

 (Ct.) fair. My steers were four years old only, and weighed 

 about 2,400 pounds, and at that time were compelled to compete 

 in their work with oxen of all ages and all weights. Their exhi- 

 bition work consisted in drawing and backing a cart filled and 

 rounded up with stones and probably weighing about two tons 

 — not less. In this competition were oxen weighing all the 

 way from 3,200 to 4,200 pounds, and probably not a pair com- 

 peting for the prize weighing any less than 3,000 pounds. 

 Well, the result of the showing was that all the teams were 

 able to draw the load,- and after much yelling and scolding and 

 a good deal of whipping, several pairs were able to do some- 

 thing in the way of backing it. There were some twenty pairs 

 In competition. 



After all the oxen had shown what they could and could 

 not do, I hitched my " little steers " to the cart. I could dis- 

 tinctly hear the murmur through the crowd that " Dimon will 

 be unable to compete with the others," — that while he had a 

 beautiful pair of steers, they were altogether too light and 



