Give me leave here to observe, that when I performed upon a horse, I never let any one be present, (for fear they might discover the real secret,) except such a gentleman as I knew would give me a handsome gratification: for a man is always more or less willing to pay to satisfy his curiosity as well as his interest.
The owner of the horse came in where he was standing without rope or bridle. I called a little Indian boy, who had never bridled a horse in his life, and gave him the bridle; and, as the horse’s head was too high for him to reach up to it, I told him to get into a chair, and put the bridle on. His master cried out, “For God’s sake, don’t let him go nigh him! I cannot yet have confidence enough in that animal, to let the little boy go nigh him: I know he would kill him, though Beelzebub himself had been to work at him since the time you first went into the stable!” I then went and put on the bridle myself, and took it off; then he agreed to let the little Indian do the same, which he did, as may be supposed, in a very awkward, fumbling manner, standing all the while in a chair, to the great surprise of his master, who then came in and bridled him himself, and made me a present of eight doubloons, (a hundred and twenty-four dollars.)
TO BREAK A HORSE OF KICKING.
Handle the kicking horse in the forehead, and from thence every where, except his legs and feet. Then tie up one of his fore legs, (no matter which); handle him gently all over, and descend, by degrees to his feet, always speaking to him: he will let you handle them in a few minutes. Untie his fore leg, and go through the same ceremony. After repeating this operation two or three times, he will let any one handle his feet with the greatest ease imaginable.
HOW TO MANAGE A HORSE THAT KICKS UP, SO AS TO BREAK HIM OF THAT VICIOUS HABIT.
A horse that is apt to kick up, ought to be dealt with in the following manner: Put upon him a pack-saddle, if you have one; if not, something as nigh to it as possible. Take two bags, and put one hundred and twenty-five pounds of sand in each, if your horse is a common sized one. Girt them on, or bind them very tight, in such a manner that no effort of the horse can throw them off. Have another horse prepared at hand, and some one mounted on him to take hold of the rope of the vicious horse, the moment he is loaded with the sand. Let him start off, with another horseman behind with a good whip in his hand; and the more he kicks up, let him whip him the more; or, in other words, let him whip him every time he kicks up. Let him trot off thus, about ten or fifteen miles; at the end of which, take off his load, and let some one get immediately upon him, and trot back with the same speed. After having exercised him thus, for two or three times, it is not common that a horse will ever kick up again.
It is to be observed, that if the horse should kick up with the load of sand at the end of ten miles or more, make him go at least three miles after he has ceased kicking up; but it is very uncommon for a horse to kick up, after the first three or four miles. If he should appear a little tired, you can regulate the distance, more or less, and vice versa. I believe this to be the most infallible remedy known, without exposing one’s self. There are other remedies, which none but a good horseman can put in practice; but I write for every class of men that ride on horseback, whether doctors, lawyers or priests, farmers or merchants. If this advice should save a few necks from getting broken, I shall feel gratified.