THE HORSE AND HORSEBREAKER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2334, 25 June 1887, Page 2

THE HORSE AND HORSEBREAKER.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l hope you will give a place in your esteemed paper for the following remarks on the two heads above-mentioned when you have space. Some months back I put an advertisement in your journal that I would train young horses to give pleasure to ladies and gentlemen in riding. Well, I suppose they consider me too old to accomplish what I stated, or they would prefer having them trained by a younger man, as there is always something edifying in having a young person working for you. I may be permitted to say, and truly, there is neither young or old in this colony can train a horse better nor as well as I can. This I have proved here ; also in India, Arabia, and old Ireland. Now, my dear readers, let me prove this. Whilst in India I never took any horse in hand except he was one hopelessly useless; and I never took one in hand except one that did not turn out useful to their owners, and the one exception never could be ridden by anyone except myself. No matter how many times a day I mounted him I had the hard work to perform ; though I sold him, and he paid me well, but not the purchaser. He was the worst case I ever had in hand. The 17th Lancers were stationed in Sccunderabad, in the Nizam's territories, in 1862 and 63. An officer of the Artillery sent a fine young horse to the Lancer lines to be broken in. They had seven weeks in the schools daily, Sundays excepted. During that time he crippled nine rough-riders, and some of them for life. I took him in hand. The first lesson I gave him I put on an infant two and a-half months old on the saddle for a bet of £5 or 50 rupees, the horse-keeper leading the horse in the circle. The same evening I rode him to the band stand during the playing of the band, and in front of numbers of carriages, ladies and gentlemen on horseback. I took great pleasure in riding him in front of the rid-ing-master's house. I could repeat hundreds of cases, Sir, similar to those I have recorded. I can state I never met either officer or man that could accomplish what I had done and ain still able to do. Captain Nolan, of the 15th Hussars, was well-known to be one of the finest riders in the English army, and the best swordsman. He was in Bangalore with the 15th in my time. Some people say the best riders in the military are those who never handled a horse previously to entering the army. This is all bosh. Give me the rider that can follow the hounds over everything for a full day's hunt bareback, as I have done many a time in my youth.—l remain, Mr liditor, your obliged servant, A. Connolly.