AN AMERICAN HORSE TRAINER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 10229, 22 June 1883, Page 2

AN AMERICAN HORSE TRAINER.

Professor Simple's reputation as a trainer of horses, and the belief that he was possessed of some important secret in regard to the breaking im and management of those animals, secured for him yesterday afternoon a class of thirty-five gentlemen. They deposited £2 a piece with the treasurer, Mr F. E. Jackson, (according to the arrangement indicated by the professor in his lecture on the previous night), and assemoled in the St. Hill-street sale yards to undergo a few hours' instruction in matters pertaining to horseflesh. As befitted the i uportance of the professor's system, and the fact that his scholars were paying £2 for the privilege of learning it, every precaution was taken to exclude the general public from the sale yards, and the professor himself kept a jealous aud watchful eye on every nook and cranny to see that no rnsh intruder or Wanganui Peeping Tom wns acquiring knowledge without paying for it. As it would be unfair to Mr Sample, and contrary to the pledge given to keep his secret whilst he is in the town, we forbear to explain the remarkable method by which we saw him operate on horses for three hours and three quarters yesterday, but will simply lecord the results of the experiments fey which he illustrated^ his instruction. First of all he devoted half an hour or more to an explanation of a method of tolling tho age by examination of the teeth of horses from the time they are foaled to the period when they attain the ripe majority of 21 years. Then a five-year old chestnut gelding, belonging to the Rev. P. L. Cameron, was brought into the arena. The animal had been broken into the saddle but not to harness, and it was evidently a nervous high strung nag. Tl c professor, by means of mechanical contrivances entirely new to everybody in his .inflienco, and of a wonderfully simple nature, soon orarcaine, to all ippp:u - aners, the horn's nervousness ■ i-ai Fudd*.'! t"rroi at the si^ht. touch, or sound of objects. He ulso very 'neiai.y ox;>laineil bis mods of breaking jiito Imvnfisr, and in Inif-nn-Jionr tbe v '•'.' l! '.vcii ii-''-; : ", i;. h- rrcp,<n. ml j.nviy..-.- i...,-;o>jyrril.O ',!>> ■ long po':> '

extending from the near shoulder under the belly and out between the hind legs, or even at a pair of kerosene tins which the professor hitched on the unfortunate chestnui's tail. There was providved a " wild untamed steed " in the person of a totally unbroken ohestnut colt, the property of Mr Robert Hair. Then handsome colt is by a son of Bay Dawn out of Breeze, and it was stated that the hand- of man had not been placed on it except when it was branded. In the course of three quarters of an hour, the professor had it ridden quietely by his assistant, and in harness like its predecessor, with kerosene tins to excite its nervous system. He showed also how easily, by his plan, the colt could be taught to lead, to avoid pulling and other vices of the horse, and he illustrated also, (among a number of interesting and valuable feats) how simple and quickly a horse could be brought down,|in order that any required operation might be made upon it. Of course the professor did not pretend thac either animal waß broken in at one lesson, but only that the simplicity, and rapdiity of his system . (which differs from Rarey's or any other plan which has been publicly exhibited) rendered subsequent 'lessons so straightforward and almost agreeable to the horse, that little more was required of its master than a good stock of patience. We can only say, judging from yesterday's lesson, that Mr Came- ; rons horse could apparently have been ' driven in a trap' without danger, though until yesterday -it had never been in harness; and that Mr Hair's two-year-old colt in the course of twenty minutes lost its wildness, excitability, and terror of contact with surrounding objects. It was so quiet that not only the professor's assistant, bat two gentlemen in the audience easily rode it, and one of them stood up on its back, like a picturesque statue, the colt remaing calm during the performance. More than this we cannot say of. Professor .-Sample's instructive and clever exhibition -yesterday, but everybody in- the yards was entirely satisfied, and .the £2, per head was voted to the professor by aoclamation." He repeats his instruption at noon today, in the same place,."' and will add some fresh feats in evidence of the entire mastery of the horse, which 18 years' experience in America has given him. The ticket-holders of yesterday will be welcome to-day without any extra charge, but we hope and believe that the professor will have also a fresh supply of scholars for his class.