THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

The Prologue, in which I mention the time I discovered this secret, and what gave rise to the desire I had of making such a discovery, and why I did not wish people to know that I had made it, as well as my reasons for making use of smells, &c., &c.[17]
Poinsett’s Certificate—he then was Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Mexico.[26]
General Guerreros’ Letter of Recommendation.[26]
The Marquis de Rayas’ Certificate.[27]
Observation upon Horses in general, and what led me to the discovery of breaking them in a few hours.[31]
The Secret. In the explanation of the Secret is related the astonishing effect it had upon a wild boar, which I tamed in a few hours, in the state of Neuvo Leon.[35]
How to deal with Refractory Horses, which have been gentled for a long time in the common way.[61]
How to deal with a skittish Horse.[63]
How to deal with a Horse that will not suffer one to touch or handle his ears.[64]
An example of a vicious Horse, which would not suffer himself to be bridled by any one, and which I cured of that vice in a few hours.[65]
How to manage a kicking horse, so as to cure him of that vice in a very short time.[67]
How to manage a Horse that kicks up, so as to break him of that vicious habit.[68]
How to manage a kicking horse, so as to be able to handle his feet with facility.[69]
To teach a horse, so that he will not let a person, dressed in a certain manner, come nigh him.[70]
To teach your horse, so that he will not let no one but yourself come near him.[72]
How to prevent a Horse from pulling upon his bridle reins, in order to break them.[73]
The Mexican Mode of Preventing a horse from breaking his bridle.[74]
How to manage a Horse that gets the studs, or that stops and will not advance a step, when you put him to the plough or cart, &c.[74]
How to teach a Horse to lie down at the word of command.[75]
To teach a horse to count any number.[77]
Easy Method of Fattening a Horse in a short time.[77]
A remedy for a horse that will not fatten though well fed.[79]
To Prevent a Horse’s back from getting sore even on a long journey.[80]
How to treat a horse that gets foundered upon the road, when on a journey.[81]
How to treat a horse upon a journey.[82]
A Horse that it apt to Stumble through carelessness, and not on account of the Bad Construction of his Shoulders.[83]
How to break a Mule by the secret, and the difference there is to be observed between a horse and a mule.[84]
How Thales corrected a Mule from the vicious habit of lying down with its load of salt, every time it crossed a certain river.[86]
How to make a dull horse appear mettlesome and full of fire for a short time.[88]
That part, or those parts of the Mexican states, in which the best race of horses are to be found.[89]
Caution to be observed in cutting or paring the hoofs of horses.[92]
Caution to those who raise horses and mules.[93]
How to accustom a horse to stay in a place that was raised in another.[93]
To make a gentle horse, not used to a carriage go in it.[94]
A horse that stops, and refuses to go when in a carriage.[96]
A mode of breaking wild horses very different from that discovered by me.[97]
Another way of breaking them, by stopping up their ears.[98]
Advice to farmers, concerning the gentling of young cows.[98]
The astonishing manner in which I tamed a wild deer, which was roped by a Guastecan as it came out of the woods.[99]
A remedy for an Ox that lies down, and won’t get up.[102]
A curious method of teaching Turkies to dance at the sound of a triangle, or any other musical instrument.[103]
A remedy for the gripes or colic in horses.[106]
Of the Botts.[107]
Of the Blind staggers.[107]
Rarey’s Method.—The three fundamental principles of Rarey’s Theory.[109]
How to succeed in getting the Colt from pasture.[114]
How to stable a Colt without trouble.[115]
Time to reflect.[117]
The kind of halter.[117]
Remarks on the horse.[118]
Experiment with the robe.[119]
Suggestions on the habit of smelling.[121]
Prevailing opinion of horsemen.[122]
Remarks on Powel’s treatment.[124]
How to govern horses of any kind.[124]
How to proceed if your horse be of a stubborn disposition.[128]
How to halter and lead a colt.[130]
How to lead a colt by the side of a broken horse.[133]
How to lead a colt into the stable, and hitch him, without having him pull on the halter.[135]
The kind of bit, and how to accustom the horse to it.[137]
How to saddle a colt.[138]
How to mount the colt.[140]
How to ride the colt.[143]
The proper way to bit a colt.[145]
How to drive a horse that is very wild and has any vicious habits.[146]
On Balking.[150]
To Break a horse to Harness.[156]
How to Hitch a horse in a Sulky.[156]
How to make a horse lie down.[158]
How to make a horse follow you.[159]
How to make a horse stand without holding.[161]

TACHYHIPPODAMIA.

In the year 1811, whilst residing in Georgia, I read an account of a man who lived more than a hundred years ago, who would take any wild horse, and shut himself up with him in a small yard or stable, and at the end of a few hours, come out with the horse perfectly gentle. Nothing was ever known about the means he employed in gentling him, for he died without ever communicating his secret to any one. I always possessed a great share of curiosity: therefore, as well to gratify it as to become useful to myself and others, I made a great many experiments upon young horses, but without success. I ran great risks in these experiments, but the danger, far from discouraging me, animated me the more to make new trials. At the end of the year 1811, I came to Louisiana, where there were many wild horses. I renewed my experiments. After having met with many difficulties, I discovered a secret in 1814, on my plantation in the Attakapas, by which I broke a horse in three hours. The horse always remained gentle. By the same method, I broke another; but two days after, I found him almost as wild as ever. This perplexed me very much—why one horse should remain gentle and the other not. I broke two more, and undertook a fifth, which I abandoned after several trials. This took place between seven and nine o’clock in the morning. I then thought the application of the secret ought to be varied. Accordingly, after having adopted and rejected a great many ways of applying it, I fell upon one which proved to be the best. At eleven o’clock, I went in again to the horse; but when he saw me, he reared and pitched and kicked in a most terrific manner. I stopped, notwithstanding, stood still a few minutes, and then began the operation, and saw, with pleasure, that at half past four he was perfectly gentle, and always remained so; for I had already discovered this last most important part of the secret—of having them always remain gentle—and I never have revealed it to any living person.