RESTIVENESS, OR TAMING HORSES.
Mr. Catlin has published an account, the veracity of which is unimpeached, of his travels among the North American Indians. “He coils his lasso on his arm and gallops fearlessly into the herd of wild horses. He soon gets it over the neck of one of the number, when he instantly dismounts, leaving his own horse, letting the lasso pass out gradually and carefully through his hands until the horse falls for want of breath. The Indian advances, keeping the lasso tight upon his neck until he fastens a pair of hobbles on the animals two fore feet,—then passing a noose round the under jaw by which he obtains great power over the affrighted animal, that is rearing and plunging when it gets breath. By this means he gradually advances until he is able to place his hand on the animal nose and over its eyes, and at length to breathe into its nostrils, when it soon becomes docile and conquered; so that he has little else to do than remove the hobbles from its feet, and lead or ride it to the camp.”
Mr. A. B. Moss happened to read this account, and he felt a natural desire to ascertain how far this mode of horse training might be employed among the American horses. He soon had an opportunity of putting the veracity of the story to the test. A man on a neighboring farm was attempting to break a very restive colt, which had foiled him in every possible way. After several attempts, he succeeded in breathing into one of the horse’s nostrils, and from that moment all became easy. The horse was completely subdued. He suffered himself to be led quietly away with a loose halter, and was perfectly at command.