Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1884 — Taming a Horse. [ARTICLE]

Taming a Horse.

Daring Dr. Dio Lewis’ “Gypsying in the Sierras,” he became much interested in Prof. of San Frahcisco, who tamed wild and vicious hones, without violence or drugs. Showing the Doctor a herd of wild horses from the mountains, the Professor said, “Y on may pick out any horse-from this herd, and in two hours I will drive him before a buggy, and when going down hill will let the buggy loose on his heels, without the least risk. ” ‘ The Doctor selected the largest horse, the leader of the herd. It took an hour to separate him from his fellows and drive him into the Professor's private corral, which was about the size of a circus-ring, with sand six inches deep, and surrounded by a close plank fence, twelve feet high. Dr. Lewis seated himself in the circle above, where he saw what he thus describes; Prof. Tapp entered the corral, holding in his hand a whip with a short stock and a long, heavy lash. In his left hand were a long halter, minus the hitching-strap, two old potatosacks, two straps, and a strong rope about thirty feet long. Putting all these but the whip into the recess in the fence, the Professor turned toward the horse. The animal was making frantic efforts to get away. The Professor watched his opportunity, and then the whip-cracker hit one of the horse’s hind fetlocks. The horse Boampered from side to side, and the cracker again hit the fetlock. Within fifteen minutes this was repeated twenty to thirty times. The horse learned the lesson this was intended to convey—that there was only one safe place in the corral, and that was close by Prof. Tapp. There, there was no hurt, but a gentle, soothing voice. In half an hour, when the Professor ran across the corral, the horse would run after him. He had learned that it was dangerous to be more than ten feet away. Prof. Tapp at length succeeded in touching the horse’s head. He started away, but before he had taken three steps came back. Within three-quarters of an hour the headstall was on. The horse was frightened and used his feet to remove it.

It was now easy to rub his head and neck. The end of the whipstock then tickled his side. The horse switched the spot with his tail, and the Professor caught the end of the long tail-hairs. This frightened the animal; he forgot, and the whip-cracker called him back. The Professor then seized the tail, drew it toward him, tied into the end of the long hairs a strong cord the other end of which was fastened to the iron ring of the headstall. This drew the headland tail toward each other. The horse began to turn in a circle, and soon was turning as fast as he could. In a minute he fell, drunk with dizziness. The Professor wound a potatoe-sack around each hind leg close to the hoof and fastened a short strap over it. There was an iron ring in each strap, and through both rings a rope was passed and tied upon itself, eighteen inches from the hind feet. The long, loose end of the rope was passed between the horse’s fore legs, through the ring of the headstall, and then tied into a heavy ring in the wall of the corral. The cord connecting the head and tail was cut, and after a little time, the horse, still dizzy, rose slowly. When he found he was fastened he made a tremendous struggle. The Professor stood by the ring where the horse was tied. The animal could not turn his head from side to side because of the rope which ran through the ring of the headstall. “Pretty soon,” said the Professor, “he will switch his tail from side to side; that means he gives up. ” Within eight minutes, the horse moved his tail from side to side. “Now he’s done," said the Professor. He knelt down by the horse’s hind legs, untied the rope, unbuckled the straps, walked behind him, put his hands upon the horse’s hind legs, stuck his head between them, patted hi head and led him about the corral. I was obliged to leave, but I learned that he harnessed the horse, and let the buggy strike his heels while going down hill.