CONTROLLING A HORSE BY ELECTRICITY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1960, 3 October 1888, Page 3

CONTROLLING A HORSE BY ELECTRICITY.

Prof. R. H. Harrison, of the veterinary sohool of Harvard College, has acoordlng to the 'Electrical Review," completed some interesting experiments with a new devioe for controlling refractory horses.

A few days ago a valuable trotting horse, whloh formerly went under the name of Gray Eagle, and whloh has a reoord of 2.22, waa sent to the school for treatment of a fraotured jtw, whioh had been th* result of attempts to control him. The animal had the habit of taking the bit m his teeth and bolting

Dr Harrison contrived to oonneot the bit by two small wires along the reina with a small galvanlo-faradio baltary, which was carried m the bogey. It waa so arranged that the driver could give an electric shook of greater or leas Intensity to the horse, but which would not do' the animal any iojury.

Dr Harrison took care to use the contrivance only with the use of the words "whoa" and ••steady." The trial wsb an Immediate success. The home after two or three shocks at once became docile and obeyed his driver's commands inatsn'ly.

A final trial was given the horse, under trying clrcumatanoea. He came to a halt from a 2.40 gait or to a walk with equal docility on the driver's order. He was tried under conditions which ordinarily would have frightened him and oaused him to bolt, and the result was very satisfactory.