36 
THE ART OF HANDLING AND TAMING DOMESTIC 
ANIMALS: 
By M. Godine. 
The art of approaching and seizing and conquering the animals 
with which we are surrounded — ars domandi animalia — is an ar- 
ticle new to the veterinary surgeon. No author, that I am aware 
of, has spoken ex professo on this subject, equally interesting for 
the conservation of the animal and for the safety of the man who has 
the care of him. It is under this double relation that I shall treat 
of him in this article. Both the public and the veterinary world 
will appreciate its importance. 
The scientific man, for his own proper conservation, and for the 
sake of his reputation, should be careful in acquiring a habit of 
skilfully treating the various circumstances that so often occur: 
and the public is too often disposed to attribute to unskilful treat- 
ment the accidents which not unfrequently entail judicial pro- 
cesses, and which are always unpleasant. 
The horse, being considered as the principal and type of vete- 
rinary study, will be the first object of our consideration ; but what 
we shall say will naturally apply also to the ass and the mule. 
The ox and the sheep will form a separate class. 
In order to class our precepts with some regularity we shall con- 
sider the horse in the different situations in which he is found in 
our stables, confined within our walls, saddled or harnessed, or 
brought triumphantly to the post. 
In whatever situation the horse is found, before approaching or 
seeking to touch him, we should make a rapid study of his charac- 
ter, and learn at a glance whether he is tractable or good-tempered, 
or a coward or fearless of all danger ; whether his eyes are hag- 
gard and menacing, wandering here and there, and his ears inclined 
to the nape of the neck; or whether, instead of presenting his head, 
he turns his croup and opens his mouth in a menacing way. Great 
precaution should be taken both in approaching and leaving him. 
It sometimes happens that a good-tempered horse, in a mere act of 
gaiety, bites or plunges at the persons who approach him without 
prudence. 
This first distinction being made, if the horse is in the stable, 
before going up to him he should be spoken to and made to move 
aside. If he obeys and gives place, — if his looks are gentle and 
tranquil, his owner should go quite up to him and caress him. 
When the persons who have the care of the animal shew confi- 
dence, the veterinary surgeon or examiner should partake of the 
