LEWISTON—EDUCATING THE HORSE “ANFIELD”—TESTIMONIAL—CONCORD—MANCHESTER—A
STEAM ENGINE IN THE RING—LOWELL—LAWRENCE.
Continuing my tour, I exhibited at many places in the State until I
reached the city of Augusta, where I remained two days, and met with
marked success. Anxious to reach Lewiston by the time I had fixed, I
passed rapidly, through many towns and villages, only remaining a day in
each place, and arrived at Lewiston on the eighth of September. It was
here, as the reader will remember, that I was to handle the notorious
“Anfield.”
After building an academy, and giving a public exhibition, I announced
my intention of controlling that vicious animal. The citizens turned
out _en masse_, but, as the horse was led into the ring, the whole
audience seemed terror-stricken, wondering, no doubt, whether or not
I would share the fate that others had; but speedily their terror
gave place to admiration, as they saw the powerful animal succumb to
the resistless energy and efficacy of my system, for, within one short
hour, the lion-like brute became meek and quiet as a lamb, greatly
to the astonishment of the multitude, who gazed with wonder on the
transformation. I give below the testimonial subsequently presented to
me, in which this feat is described:
We, the undersigned citizens of Lewiston and vicinity, hereby
certify that we are members of Prof. O. S. Pratt’s school
for instruction in the proper education of the horse; that
from a careful and thorough examination of his method, as
succinctly demonstrated by him in his admirable lectures and
apt illustrations, we unqualifiedly pronounce Professor Pratt’s
system as most practical, and far superior to any ever before
known.
His power over the most vicious and ferocious horses is at once
wonderful and instructive, as verified by his handling of the
stallion “Anfield,” in Lewiston, on Thursday evening, October
17, 1872, before an audience of 1,000 persons.
“Anfield” is an eleven-year-old dark bay stallion, and standing
sixteen or seventeen hands high, and is owned by Dr. S. H.
Tewksbury, of Portland, Me. He is reported to have killed
one man, and was a bad biter, striker, and somewhat given to
kicking. He had never been harnessed.
He was led into the academy on the above night, secured by iron
rods and with a heavy muzzle over his mouth. He manifested an
ugliness truly characteristic.
Prof. Pratt, applying the rules of his system, at once so
comprehensive and yet so simple, within twenty minutes had
contemptuously thrown away the iron rods, muzzle, etc., and
exhibited to his audience one of the most tractable of horses,
who would follow him when commanded, stopping at the word
“whoa,” and, being harnessed, was driven around the ring in a
vehicle continually hitting his heels.
Prof. Pratt’s Lewiston class numbers, at the present time,
three hundred and sixty members.
[Illustration: LEWISTON ACADEMY.]
We most cheerfully commend the system of Prof. Pratt to the
public generally, assuring them that, in our opinion, it is the
inauguration of a new and happier era for that noblest of the
brute creation—_the horse_.
LEWISTON, Me., _October 2, 1872_.
D. B. STROUT,
J. P. NORTON,
H. C. BRADFORD,
P. M. THURLOW,
ELI EDGECOMB,
N. C. HARRIS,
H. H. RICHARDSON,
W. M. CHAMBERLIN,
GEO. S. FOLLENSBER,
T. H. LANGLEY,
H. L. JOHNSON,
B. H. SCRIBNER,
J. L. PEABODY,
S. D. THOMAS,
R. S. BRADBURY,
J. C. PENDEPTER,
GEORGE WEHLE,
S. B. COOK,
A. B. WATSON,
JOHN PICKARD,
H. V. BROWN, M. D.,
J. B. STRAW,
DANIEL WOOD,
S. O. PURINTON,
C. T. CHAPPELL,
RUFUS CARR,
W. H. GARCELEN,
A. O. EDGECOMB,
W. W. WOOD,
ISAAC HARKELL, 2D,
WM. H. HORR,
J. A. WHITMAN,
F. C. HAYES,
GEO. L. MELLEN,
RUFUS C. WILLIAMS,
N. M. FARWELL,
A. H. PEASLEY,
J. M. ROOK.
Passing through a beautiful country, and forming a number of classes on
the way, we at length reached Concord, the capital of New Hampshire.
I there obtained the large building used by the mechanics for the
exhibition of their manufactured articles on the days of the regular
Fair. This I fitted up and used for my lectures. The news of my success
at other places had preceded me, and I found the citizens ready to
respond to my invitation to form themselves into a class. This class was
a large and profitable one, adding much to my financial resources in
the business. The city of Manchester was the next place I visited. Its
magnificent water-power and busy manufactories, amongst them some of
the largest producers of carpets and cloth in the United States, make
it a place of great importance. It was here that I achieved a victory
never before known to the public—that of educating the horse not to fear
either the steam engine or the cars. Having had placed at my service the
steam engine manufactured by Amos Keig, I had it brought into the ring.
In a short time the engineer got up steam, and set it in motion. Horses
by the half-dozen were brought in to be educated, and, as my success was
shown in removing all fear of that terrifying object, language almost
fails to describe the enthusiasm excited, and the eulogies pronounced on
my system. As this was the first opportunity that had presented itself
for me to show the power and beauty of that portion of my system, I was
greatly cheered and gratified with the success attending my efforts,
especially as the papers of the city heralded my success in no uncertain
tones, and proclaimed the almost incalculable benefit which would accrue
to society from the adoption of my system.
Traveling southward about fifteen miles, I reached the city of Lowell,
where I built an academy, and had the pleasure of enrolling in my class a
large number of the influential citizens of that place, who were as much
delighted with my system as I was with my successful efforts.
The next place of interest to be named is the city of Lawrence, renowned
for its mills and manufactures. Here may be seen a building nearly a mile
in length, erected along the bank of the famous water-power, and used
exclusively for manufacturing purposes. At this city, also, I built an
academy, remaining a few days, and meeting warm-hearted friends, who gave
me a large class.
By this time I had fully equipped myself with all appliances needed
to confront and convince the most skeptical, so that no person could
successfully assail my almost perfect system of equine education, which,
by the force of its own merits, had thus far won its way, and was daily
gaining new favor in the eyes of the public.
My next effort was made about the first of March, 1873, in the city of
Worcester, where, from the commencement, the interest daily increased
during the whole period of my stay, and abundant success crowned my
endeavors.
Some leading citizens of Springfield now wrote to me, requesting that
I should visit their town, to which I consented, and, on reaching
the place, I found a wide-spread eagerness to secure the knowledge I
possessed. I built an academy, and was much gratified by securing an
appreciative class.
Leaving the old State of Massachusetts, I directed my course to Hartford,
in the State of Connecticut, where, as in former places, I found it
necessary to build an academy, which, on the first day of my exhibition,
I had the pleasure of seeing filled to its utmost capacity, and, when I
turned my attention to forming a class, my endeavors met with a hearty
response.