42 ART OF HANDLING AND TAMING DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
to his wildness. A cord, with a slip-knot, should be thrown either 
over his neck or his legs, or he should be entangled in a net of 
strong ropes. Some vigorous men should now spring on him, and, 
before he can disengage himself, fix him firmly to a ring or to a 
tree, and then free him from the nets, taking the precaution to 
blind him, and put on him a thoroughly strong bridle, in order to 
master him. If he bites, a muzzle or basket of iron, affixed to 
the wards of the teeth, will soon cure this. If he strikes with his 
fore feet, a kind of cage will prevent the blows. If he kicks, his 
head may be raised more than usually high and moved by a vigor- 
ous arm : some have chained him to the shafts of a heavily-laden 
waggon, the weight of which was more than equal to his full 
strength, and either galloped or trotted him over heavy ground for 
an hour or more. A few lessons of this sort will usually render 
him obedient, let him have been as wild and fiery as can be 
imagined. 
If the horse is really dangerous, he is sometimes enclosed 
between two strong bars, or fixed to a large carriage, and thus 
made to draw it to the stable. 
Castration of the horse and fecundation of the mare also put a 
stop to these freaks. 
In some countries, and especially in Germany, they fix vicious 
or furious horses to the hardest work. They shackle and sling 
them until all their strength is exhausted. Others seek to reduce 
them by privation : very spare diet, bleedings, or the use of stupefy- 
ing substances, are occasionally used. 
These prolonged means may have a fatal effect on the health of 
the animal, and even the essential functions of life ; otherwise 
they would only be momentary, and would not tame a vicious 
horse, but, on the contrary, would expose the lives of the persons 
who had the care of them. We have seen them, and particularly 
mules, after the lapse of two or three months, take the first oppor- 
tunity of avenging themselves on their conductor for any bad treat- 
ment with which he may have visited them : therefore, when nei- 
ther gentleness nor the use of the means we have pointed out will 
reduce an animal to obedience, but, on the contrary, his vicious 
character is increased to fury, in order to prevent accidents he 
must be destroyed. 
The ass is rarely vicious, still less dangerous ; but it is obstinate 
and refuses to obey. It rarely attacks or wounds even those who 
shamefully treat it. The mule is neither so patient nor so tracta- 
ble. It retains for a long time the recollection of any ill treatment 
it has received, and should uniformly meet with gentleness and pa- 
tience. Once irritated, however, it fears not blows: and it is also 
dangerous to exasperate it. The manner in which the provincial 
