The Arabian Art of Taming and Training Wild and Vicious Horses

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The Arabian Art of Taming and
Training Wild and Vicious
Horses

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Arabian Art of Taming and
Training Wild
and Vicious Horses, by P. R. Kincaid John J. Stutzman
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Title: The Arabian Art of Taming and Training Wild and Vicious
Horses
Author: P. R. Kincaid John J. Stutzman
Release Date: January 24, 2005 [EBook #14776]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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HORSES ***

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THE ARABIAN ART
OF
TAMING AND TRAINING
WILD & VICIOUS HORSES.
BY
T. GILBERT, BRO. RAMSEY & CO.
PRINTED AND SOLD FOR THE PUBLISHER BY HENRY
WATKINS PRINTER, 225 & 227 WEST FIFTH STREET,
CINCINNATI, OHIO 1856.

INTRODUCTION.
The first domestication of the horse, one of the greatest achievements
of man in the animal kingdom, was not the work of a day; but like all
other great accomplishments, was brought about by a gradual process
of discoveries and experiments. He first subdued the more subordinate
animals, on account of their being easily caught and tamed, and used
for many years the mere drudges, the ox, the ass, and the camel, instead
of the fleet and elegant horse. This noble animal was the last brought
into subjection, owing, perhaps, to man's limited and inaccurate
knowledge of his nature, and his consequent inability to control him.
This fact alone is sufficient evidence of his superiority over all other
animals.
Man, in all his inventions and discoveries, has almost invariably

commenced with some simple principle, and gradually developed it
from one degree of perfection to another. The first hint that we have of
the use of electricity was Franklin's drawing it from the clouds with his
kite. Now it is the instrument of conveying thought from mind to mind,
with a rapidity that surpasses time. The great propelling power that
drives the wheel of the engine over our land, and ploughs the ocean
with our steamers, was first discovered escaping from a tea-kettle. And
so the powers of the horse, second only to the powers of steam, became
known to man only as experiments, and investigation revealed them.
The horse, according to the best accounts we can gather, has been the
constant servant of man for nearly four thousand years, ever rewarding
him with his labor and adding to his comfort in proportion to his skill
and manner of using him; but being to those who govern him by brute
force, and know nothing of the beauty and delight to be gained from the
cultivation of his finer nature, a fretful, vicious, and often dangerous
servant; whilst to the Arabs, whose horse is the pride of his life, and
who governs him by the law of kindness, we find him to be quite a
different animal. The manner in which he is treated from a foal gives
him an affection and attachment for his master not known in any other
country. The Arab and his children, the mare and her foal, inhabit the
tent together; and although the foal and the mare's neck are often
pillows for the children to roll upon, no accident ever occurs, the mare
being as careful of the children as of the colt. Such is the mutual
attachment between the horse and his master, that he will leave his
companions at his master's call, ever glad to obey his voice. And when
the Arab falls from his horse, and is unable to rise again, he will stand
by him and neigh for assistance; and if he lays down to sleep, as fatigue
sometimes compels him to do in the midst of the desert, his faithful
steed will watch over him, and neigh to arouse him if man or beast
approaches. The Arabs frequently teach their horses secret signs or
signals, which they make use of on urgent occasions to call forth their
utmost exertions. These are more efficient than the barbarous mode of
urging them on with the spur and whip, a forcible illustration of which
will be found in the following anecdote.
A Bedouin, named Jabal, possessed a mare of great celebrity. Hassad

Pacha, then Governor of Damascus, wished to buy the animal, and
repeatedly made the owner the most liberal offers, which Jabal steadily
refused. The Pacha then had recourse to threats, but with no better
success. At length, one Gafar, a Bedouin of another tribe,