224 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
taught and made to lie down, and this was effected by strapping up the near 
fore leg to the arm, and then, by suddenly snatching up the other fore leg 
with a strap attached to the fetlock and brought over the withers, the horse 
was brought upon his knees, and in such a powerless position as to require 
little further dexterity to complete his fall. In South America it is related 
by Miers that this is part of the method employed by the natives to subdue 
their wild horses, where, in the short space of an hour, they often succeed 
in subjugating a dozen of them. In the face of assertions to the contrary 
by those who are already initiated, it is still imagined by many that drugs 
are made use of, but the difficulty in administering them, and the time neces- 
sary for them to produce effect, induce me to believe they are not em- 
ployed in horse-taming. I must confess that in my experience I never wit- 
nessed any of those affectionate symptoms described as pervading all horses 
subjected to Mr. Rarey ’s influence, who is, no doubt, a master of his art; 
and although he has now many competitors in the field, he may be enabled 
to teach us more than either they or their predecessors have done. I have 
a strong suspicion that part of the plan they all adopt has been here allu- 
ded to.” 
Besides these communications, numerous letters from 
gentlemen who have witnessed the proceedings, and are 
themselves pupils of Mr. Rarey, attest to the fact “ that 
no drugs are employed or any mesmeric influence had re- 
course to.” 
Soon after the “ Taming of Horses” became noised abroad^ 
some experiments were made at the Royal Veterinary Col- 
lege, at the suggestion of Professor Spooner, in consultation 
with his colleagues, and although it would be too much to 
say that they were attended with complete success, we may, 
nevertheless, state that sufficient proof was given that the 
humane means which were employed conjointly with other 
expedients, were effective in producing an influence over the 
animal’s disposition. In the same institution, also, Mr. 
John Field, M.R.C.V.S., has exercised his ability, and it was 
apparent to all present, that to a great extent he likewise 
succeeded in rendering the animal submissive. 
We pretend to no knowledge of the exact means employed 
by Mr. Rarey, but we are of opinion that they consist prin- 
cipally of temporarily depriving the horse of physical power 
to accomplish his ill designs, and perhaps occasionally the 
infliction also of moderate restraint in the movement of his 
limbs. 
We know of nothing which will so quickly dispel all desire 
