The Author.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Portrait of O. S. Pratt,[Frontispiece.]
The old homestead,[16]
My first store in Batavia,[22]
My second and enlarged store,[26]
Gold-headed cane,[51]
Gold-mounted whip,[61]
Portrait of Mrs. Pratt,[78]
Washington gold medal,[82]
Bridgeport Academy,[94]
Nahant Beach residence,[100]
Lewiston Academy,[108]
Music box,[120]
Silver tea-service,[130]
New method of haltering a wild colt,[160]
To educate to the words “Come here”,[164]
How to lay a horse down,[168]
How to get a horse up that throws himself,[172]
To educate a colt not to be afraid of his heels,[176]
To educate a colt to drive before being harnessed,[180]
To educate a colt to move his body and head,[184]
Improved method of bitting a colt,[188]
Educating the colt to ride,[192]
Instructions to ride the colt,[196]
To halter-break a colt,[200]
To educate a horse not to kick in the stable,[204]
To educate a horse not to paw or kick in the stable,[208]
To educate a horse not to get cast in the stall,[212]
To educate a colt to lead behind a wagon,[216]
To educate a horse bad to catch,[220]
To educate a horse not to rear,[224]
To educate and prevent a horse from cribbing,[226]
To educate and break a halter-puller,[232]
To educate a horse not to kick when line gets under his tail,[236]
To educate a horse not to kick,[240]
To educate a horse bad to groom,[246]
Bits used in educating horses,[250]
To educate horses not to fear objects when driving,[256]
To educate a horse not to fear an umbrella,[260]
Second lesson,[264]
To educate a single-footed horse to trot square,[268]
To educate a pacing horse to trot,[272]
To educate a horse to trot,[276]
To educate a horse not to kick while in shafts,[280]
To educate a lazy horse and infuse life into him,[286]
To start a balky horse,[290]
To educate a balky horse,[294]
To educate a horse not to kick while being shod,[298]
To educate a horse while standing bad to shoe,[302]
Double-hitch Bonaparte bridle,[306]
Controlling a horse bad to shoe,[310]
To educate a horse not to fear the cars,[314]
To educate a horse to back at the word of command,[318]
To educate horses or cattle not to jump fences,[322]
To educate a cow not to kick while being milked,[326]
To educate a cow to let her milk down,[330]
Practical results of foregoing education,[334]
To educate cattle to lead behind a wagon,[338]
To educate a tender-mouthed horse,[342]
To educate horses not to fear a buffalo robe,[345]
Patent steel and hoof-expanding shoe,[362]
To educate a horse to mount a pedestal,[366]
To educate a horse to walk on his hind feet,[370]
To educate a horse to push a vehicle,[376]
To educate a horse to be vicious,[378]
To educate a horse to walk on his knees,[382]
To educate a horse to drive a boy off the pedestal,[386]
To educate a horse to sit down,[390]
To educate a horse to bore for oil,[394]
A sure method of making a horse bad to catch,[398]
To educate a horse to take a handkerchief from his side,[402]
To educate a horse to kiss a boy,[406]
System of educating dogs,[410]
Another illustration of educating dogs,[414]
Curing colic in horses,[418]
The only practical way to give a horse medicine,[422]
New method of telling the horse’s age,[426 and 427]
To prevent horses from interfering or overreaching,[440]
Paring the hoof,[451]
Long foot before treatment,[452]
Long foot after treatment,[453]
Coffin-bone,[ 454]
Fitting a shoe to remove pressure from the heel,[456]
Instructions respecting the feet,[457]
Contracted foot after treatment,[458]
Expanding the foot after it has been pared out,[461]
Lateral quarter-crack before treatment,[462]
Quarter-crack under treatment,[463]
Straight quarter-crack under treatment,[464]
Quarter-crack after treatment,[467]
Toe crack before treatment,[468]
Toe crack after treatment,[473]
Four engravings showing thrush and pumice foot,[474]
Hoof-bound, under treatment,[475]
Overgrowth of hoof,[479]
Overgrowth of hoof—front view before treatment,[480]
Overgrowth of hoof—front view after treatment,[481]
Navicula—enlargement of metacarpal bone,[482]
Showing how to find enlargement of metacarpal bone,[488]
A foot that is deprived of the free use of the back tendons,[490]
Ossified growth of upper and lower pastern joint,[491]
The sensitive frog,[492]
Section of the pastern and other bones,[494]

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
Introduction—Early Life—Thirst for Knowledge—First Attempts in Business—Success—Marriage,[11]
CHAPTER II.
Enlarging Business—Attachment to the Horse—Visits to Batavia of Rarey and Hamilton—My own System—Coming before the Public—Early Success,[24]
CHAPTER III.
Visit to Montrose—Large Class at Scranton—Diploma—Wilkesbarre—Enthusiastic Reception—Complimentary Notice—Testimonial,[35]
CHAPTER IV.
Across the Mountains—Easton—Hamburg—Lancaster—Testimonials—Westchester—Diploma—Philadelphia—Class of 2,523—Cane,[41]
CHAPTER V.
York—Port Deposit—Baltimore—Success—Diploma—Getting Whipped—Class of 3,500,[56]
CHAPTER VI.
Washington—A Large Class—The President a Pupil—The White House—Halls of Congress—Diploma—Dr. Newman’s Address—Gold Medal,[67]
CHAPTER VII.
Annapolis—Delaware—New Jersey—New York State—The Great Emporium—Chicago in Flames,[84]
CHAPTER VIII.
Bridgeport—Fall of Academy—Providence—Boston—Class of 3,000—Lynn—Purchase of a Residence—Portland—Bangor,[95]
CHAPTER IX.
Lewiston—Educating the Horse “Anfield”—Testimonial—Concord—Manchester—A Steam Engine in the Ring—Lowell—Lawrence,[104]
CHAPTER X.
Tour in Canada—Montreal—Class of 1,000—Victoria Bridge—Cathedral—Quebec—Ottawa—Kingston—Detroit—Diploma—Valuable Testimonial—Simcoe,[113]
CHAPTER XI.
Toronto—“British Ensign”—Diploma—Silver Tea-Set—Hamilton—Belleville—Diploma—Picton,[124]
History of the Horse,[141]
Directions for Feeding and Fitting Horses,[154]
System of Educating the Horse,[161]
Intelligence of Animals,[345]
Trick Horses,[363]
Educating Dogs,[411]
Miscellaneous,[419]
Training Steers,[428]
Treatise on Horseshoeing,[431]
Dunbar System of Horseshoeing,[445]
Recipes,[496]
Record of Fast Horses up to 1876,[513]
Revised Rules of Trotting Course,[521]