Daniel Stephensen tells about a famous, real-life trainer
HE TAMED THE BLACKEST HORSES

Daniel Stephensen

The problem confronting Austin Dailey, Nevada Carter's hero in the 1995 BHW Bear Paw, is a horse he instinctively fears; an animal he's just not sure he can tame.

One real-life horse tamer who never had this problem, who apparently never encountered a wild horse he couldn't break, was the famous J. S. (John Solomon) Rarey.

Rarey was born in Grovesport, Ohio, in 1827. His father raised horses, and by the time he was twelve years old, J. S. Rarey was able to tame virtually any wild horse.

His approach was founded on his philosophy that there is great power in great kindness. He learned this through experience with horses on his father's farm, and subsequently confined his approach to horse taming within the boundaries of respect, love and gentleness. Rarey's method was so successful that he became famous for being able to tame even the most vicious horses, animals that would not bow to the methods of more brutal tamers.

Rarey's method is based on observable characteristics of horses, and is broadly encapsulated in three fundamental principles:

• FIRST — That [a horse] is so constituted by nature that he will not offer resistance to any demand made of him which he fully comprehends, if made in a way consistent with the laws of his nature.
• SECOND — That he has no consciousness of his strength beyond his experience, and can be handled according to our will without force.
• THIRD — That we can, in compliance with the laws of his nature by which he examines all things new to him, take any object, however frightful, around, over, or on him, that does not inflict pain, without causing him to fear.

Rarey's turn of phrase on page one in his classic text The Modern Art of Taming Wild Horses (Bedford, 1856) is indicative of the man's patience and care with the animals he encountered. He encouraged horse tamers to approach horses as their friends, as beasts worthy of kindness, love and communication, rather than brute domination. Communication and kindness in turn encourages a horse to befriend its tamer, and a relationship of trust is gradually and patiently developed. This process, Rarey advises, will teach the horse to read and understand human expressions and tones of voice, after which it will co-operate readily.

Rarey took his method on tour to England in 1857, where he made his fame and fortune. His skills were witnessed by kings, emperors and aficionados, invigorated Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and improved horse training methods in armies and stables throughout America, England and France.

The Harper's Weekly of January 19, 1861 records the taming of a violent horse from the Second Avenue Railroad in New York, an animal that couldn't be shod except with all its legs tied:

"Every time Rarey touched it, the horse kicked most savagely. First one little strap was tied on, however, and then another. The horse fell easily, as it had been used to be thrown thus to be shod. But when the straps were taken off, and Rarey began his familiarities, however, then came the tug of war. It was kick and bite, soothe and fondle, get up and fall down, until at last the poor car-horse succumbed to kindness. Rarey's head lay between those formidable hoofs; Rarey's hand unloosed the bridle which had not been removed for months; Rarey played blacksmith, and hammered at the shoe without any difficulty, and curing the last bit of restlessness by turning the horse round and round a while. Rarey led off the subdued old equine hag with as much complacency as if biting and kicking had never been known. The owner sat beside our reporter, and his surprise — he knew the horse so well — only outran that of the audience."

Rarey's gentle technique, always emphasising love and care for horses, is detailed in his small book, The Modern Art of Taming Wild Horses. Originally published in 1856, this volume has been reprinted by Applewood Books. It is available from Amazon, or Applewood Books at www.applewoodbooks.com