Winter was now drawing nigh, and, as I was desirous to reach Toronto, the Queen City of the Province of Ontario, as soon as possible, I made but a short stay at Brantford and other towns on my way. Arriving at Toronto about the last of November, 1874, I secured possession of the Riding Academy, and fitted it up at considerable cost, after which I gave public exhibitions, which awakened an increasing interest. I remained there sixty days, my class becoming larger daily, until, at the close of my labors, my register showed the names of nearly thirteen hundred members, many of whom were amongst the most influential citizens of the place. During my stay I handled some two hundred horses, each of whom had been addicted to some bad habit.
Toronto Academy—PRESENTATION OF TEA SERVICE AND ILLUMINATED ADDRESS.
Many members of my class were desirous that I should exhibit the power of my system to educate horses not to fear the steam engine, and, that I might meet their wishes, I procured a steam fire engine, which I caused to be placed in my academy. During my stay there I educated some hundred horses to the perfect satisfaction of their owners, and the evident gratification of my class. Amongst others, I may name as a signal triumph of my system the case of the stallion “British Ensign,” owned at Richmond Hill, who, from his vicious habits of long standing, was thought to be incurable, and, as a last resort, I was solicited to handle him. This was at the close of my labors there, and, the day being announced, the members of my class gathered in force to witness my last effort in their city. The horse was led into the ring by two men by means of iron rods securely fastened on each side of his mouth. From the account given of this animal, one would almost expect that a man could tame a lion of the desert as easily as him; but, strange as it may seem, within ten minutes he followed me around the ring as meekly as a lamb, and within forty-five minutes I was able to drive him before a vehicle, without reins or side-straps, greatly to the surprise of the throngs who had assembled to witness the spectacle.
The power and efficacy of my system was so completely demonstrated that the leading journals of the city made favorable mention of my unparalleled success, while my class signalized their sense of the value of my system for properly educating the horse by presenting me with an illuminated address, the elegant execution of which reflects credit on the artist, while the courtly language and graceful sentiments are worthy of the distinguished gentlemen whose names it bears. Not satisfied with this, they accompanied the address with a costly tea-service of silver, the intrinsic value of which was at least three hundred dollars. Long will the recollections of my Toronto class cluster about my memory, and fill my mind with pleasing emotions. The following is the diploma presented by the Toronto class, the original of which can be seen in my possession, on parchment:
Toronto, January, 1875.
Dear Sir: The undersigned, on behalf of the members of your numerous class in this city, desire to testify their appreciation of the valuable instructions you have imparted to them. The unwearying assiduity with which you have endeavored to make those instructions comprehensive and entertaining, and their high estimation of your admirable system of educating and managing the horse. The knowledge imparted to us during the many lectures and exhibitions of your unexampled method of treating that noble animal may be of incalculable benefit to many of us. We do not hesitate to say that numbers of accidents occur daily (many fatally) through an insufficient knowledge of managing the animal you have made so perfectly subject to your will, and we advise every one whose business or profession require frequent, if not constant, use of the horse to embrace an early opportunity of acquiring a knowledge of your system. Farmers, whom business occasionally calls into our cities, and the immediate neighborhood of our railways, we especially urge the necessity of learning your simple and effective method of control, a method easily understood by the instructive faculties of the horse as by the reasoning faculties of men.
We trust that your sojourn in the Queen City of the West has been both pleasant and remunerative, so far at least that will at no distant day induce your return.