The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1883. HORSE TRAINING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1438, 24 July 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1883. HORSE TRAINING.

Twenty years ago we had an opportunity of seeing Mr Rarey practice liis methods of breaking in horses. This American horseman was the first to introduce into England a more intelligent and humane system of training horses than had previously prevailed. He was the pioneer of what may be deemed to be modern horse training, as distinguished from the old plan of horse lunging. Much of his success was due not only to the new and right principles which he introduced, but also to his splendid physique which enabled him to apply them with a power which ordinary men could not exercise. For a long time the Rarey system found but a limited number of followers, simply because though it was easy to see how easily' and thoroughly Rarey subdued a vicious horse, it was not very easy to put oneself in his place or to exert his iron hand, and adamautine will. Ye3torday we accepted an.invitation to attend a lesson given in Masterton by Professor Lichtwark, and were able to mark the advance which has been made since the days of Rarey in the art of managing horses. We noticed that the principles on which tho Professor taught the art of breaking in were much the same as those which were formerly introduced by Rarey, but that there was a : marked advance in the methods by which they were applied. Professor Lichtwark adopts easy but ingenious devices for controlling restless' horses and for correcting faults which give the same results that Rarey obtained, but in less time and with far less labor. It appears to us that the improved methods now applied to Mr Rarey's principles enables a boy's strength to do that which formerly taxed the muscles.of an exceptionally powerful man. We hope that the opportunities now given of obtaining lessons in the art of managing unruly and unbroken horses will not be neglected by persons who are interested .in the "noble quadruped." The knowledge which Professor Lichtwark imparts can be applied by any man possessing ordinary intelligence to hjs-own animals. The gain will be ample to both man and beast. We need hardly point out that better trained horses mean horses worth more money to their masters,

and the avoidance of the risk that loss which has been so often experienced by the death of a promising colt'.when it has been lunged or handled. Wo tat to see the methods now being taught generally adopted for the' sake 'of horses themselves, who frequently like the school-boy .who was whipped through his alphabet" go through so much to learn so little." For want of knowledge and that patience and forbearance necessary .to its successful application masters frequently subject their beasts of burthen to painful and. unnecessary ordeals. A couple of hours spent, by any horseman with Professor Liciitwark would, we are disposed to believe save many a poor horse from many a well-meaning but mistakenstripo, ; '"•''■ :