HORSE-BREAKING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2349, 1 November 1921, Page 4

HORSE-BREAKING.

THE WORK OF EXPERTS,

On the Barber Estate, at Hiraatangi, there are at present about twenty horses being broken to saddle and harness by employees of the firm of Shepherd’s, horsebreakers, with headquarters at Dannevirke, a firm who for their, brilliant horsemanship are becoming famous in the Dominion. These people seem to make horsebreaking a profession, and have achieved marvellous results with horses in general, and also with horses which had been given up as hopeless by other horsebreakers. Shepherd’s methods, it appears, are very simple, and easily explained, for they seem to be based mainly on absolute kindness to and firmness with the horsecombined, of course, with a thorough study of their subject and wide experience amongst horses on the part of their employees.

The firm send their men to any horse owner’s place in this Dominion, and recently a representative of the Rangitikei Advocate, Marton, was lucky enough to witness an exhibition given by Shepherd’s horsebreakers, and also to be allowed to examine a great number of “halfbroken” and “just handled” horses on Mr W. J. Simpson’s Heaton Park station, Marton. Anticipating the wild-west type of men, spurred, heavily stock-whipped, and wildly gesticulating (says that journal), he found he had been wrong. A three-year-old thoroughbred filly, never before yarded, was brought in from the run the day before, and on the da yof the visit was yarded. Armed with nothing more than a very long, thin and harmless stick, the demonstrator also entered the yard, and after the highly-strung animal had careered round a few times, he was enabled to just touch the animal with his stick. Then followed a wonderful exhibition ofi man’s power over animals. In a few) minutes the breaker had the animal under control. He head-stalled it in a very simple manner, and soon had it obeying his wishes. The whole'exhibition was a remarkable demonstration of gentle handling, patience, and soft language. One of the greatest successes of this firm in the district has been the taming of an outlaw, a maneater of the very worst type imaginable. But it took two days of gentle persuasion to subjugate the animal, and it was then ridden by the veteran sport, Mr 11. V. Hammond, of Wanganui. The horse was immediately turned out; a week after was brought in again, and then ridden by one of the station hands, who found it to be perfectly safe and quiet foi anybody to ride. Another success at Heaton Park was the handling of a six-year-old draught horse, which had nevex previously been touched by man. This animal proved rather troublesome at first, and was inclined to kick viciously, but after two days’ quiet handling was driven in the shafts of a roller by one of the station hands. It was made deal that until a person has by practical experience become acquainted with the evil results following the engagement of a bad hoi’scbreaker it is impossible to estimate the importance which attaches to the proper handling and prepaiing of horses for their mission in life. The great mistakes which so-called horsebreakers make in trying to educate horses are the over application of the whip, the adoption oi a loud bullying tone, and rough treatment in general if the horse does not immediately respond to the requirements of the breaker. During Shepherd’s stay at Marton there have been many visitors, all impressed with the humane and efficacious methods employed. These experts are proud of the fact that they break horses to harness without the aid of kicking-strnp, cradle or winkers. The newspaper representative had the pleasure (as it turned out afterwards!) of being driven some distance behind f.\ horse, only two days handled, and the first time in harness, and nothing more forcible than the gentle art of pei'suasion by word of mouth was needed to urge the animal along. Shepherd’s are indeed experts at the art of. horse-breaking.