Feed well: that, in the first place, will give him strength to stand
upon his feet firmly, and be able to support his rider; and, should he
still stumble, ride him with a Spanish bridle, and hold the reins rather
short, and check him whenever he stumbles. This is, perhaps, the most
efficacious remedy known. Some horses are so constructed that they are
natural stumblers. It is very difficult to cure such a one of this
defect, though by using him some time to the Spanish bit, he will
stumble less.
HOW TO BREAK A MULE BY THE SECRET: AND THE DIFFERENCE THERE IS TO BE
OBSERVED BETWEEN A MULE AND A HORSE.
A mule seems to belong to all three classes of horses, as to vices: it
will run at a man, bite, and strike at him, like a horse of the first
class; it will again fly from him, like one of the second class; and
kick, and appear to be afraid of every thing, like a horse of the third
class: and yet I have broken two or three in a day; and one day, I broke
four in ten hours and a half, so that a man might handle their feet, and
take them up with the greatest ease; saddle and bridle them, and put two
or three boys upon them, and ride them through the streets of a populous
town. This I did, in the city of Jalapa, seventy-five miles above the
city of Vera Cruz, on the road to Mexico. But this may be looked upon as
a rare case; for it generally takes from six to eight hours to break a
mule, so as to ride him with safety. Now, a man may know how to break a
horse, according to the rules I have here laid down, and completely
fail in his first attempts upon a mule. In the first place, it is
absolutely necessary to have a halter upon the mule, of that kind called
a jaguima, in the Spanish language. Now, when I draw nigh them, as is
indicated in the manner which I follow in coming up to a wild horse, for
the first time, I always take up the rope, which is tied to the
head-stall of the halter, and then approach with much precaution, but
without any signs of fear, &c., &c. Now, as I write for the timid, as
well as for the courageous and intrepid, and as I look upon a mule as a
most treacherous animal, I will here state, that all these precautions
may be rendered unnecessary, by making a pen just big enough to put the
mule in, and so high that it cannot jump over it; and let the bars be
far enough apart to pass your hand between them and handle the mule. The
pen must be made in such a manner that you can go around it on each
side, as well behind as before, and be able to get upon it so as to
saddle the mule, when you find it sufficiently gentle to proceed thus
far. Then continue the operation as with a horse, but with this
difference: you ought always to load the mule with bags of sand, or the
like, and exercise it before you ride it. A weight of about two hundred
pounds is not too much for the first time. As for any thing further, do
as you would with a horse, &c.
The same pen you make for one mule, may serve for others which are of
about the same size; and thus you may break, in a very few days, a great
many mules, so as to go immediately to work with them, without laming
them by blows and rough usage, which is often the cause of their being
refractory the rest of their lives. I have broken a sufficient number of
them to bear witness of the truth of this assertion. All those persons
who may have learnt any part of my secret of breaking horses in a few
hours, have remained perfectly silent with regard to mules, though they
have undoubtedly tried their skill upon them, but in vain.
HOW THALES, ONE OF THE SEVEN WISE MEN OF GREECE, CORRECTED A MULE OF THE
HABIT OF LYING DOWN EVERY TIME IT PASSED A CERTAIN RIVER.
Thales, one of the seven wise men of Greece, had a mule which used to
carry loads of salt from one place to another, in consequence of which,
it had to cross a very wide, but rather shallow river. It so happened
one day, that whilst it was crossing the river, being heavily loaded, it
stumbled and fell down, and remained some time in the middle of the
water, which soon melted and washed away the salt that was in the bags.
The animal, finding itself thus alleviated and discharged of its load,
was able to jump up and pursue its journey without fatigue: from thence
it concluded that the said fall and immersion in the river had been
favorable and beneficial to it; therefore, when it had to cross the
river a second time with a load of salt, it stopped in the midst of the
river, and plunged in such a manner that its load soon melted away; and
this happened every time it passed the stream; nor was it possible to
break it of this trick, either by words or blows, though vigorously and
well-applied. At last, the wise Thales bethought himself of this
stratagem: He loaded the beast with a very bulky load of sponge; the
mule, according to custom, plunged into the water, and remained some
time; but, when it got up, it could hardly stagger under the weight of
its load, and, instead of relief, found itself oppressed to such a
degree, that it ever after crossed the river with the greatest care, so
as not to fall in the water and increase the weight of its load.
HOW TO MAKE A DULL HORSE APPEAR METTLESOME AND FULL OF FIRE FOR A SHORT
TIME.
Take of red pepper, of the strongest kind, a small handful. Pound it
fine, and add half a spoonful of vinegar to it. Put the whole into a
small bag, made of linen, and tie it to that part of the crupper which
goes immediately under the horse’s tail. Buckle the crupper rather
short, so that it will press upon the little bag, as the horse trots
off. The juice will flow out of the bag, and come in contact with a
certain part, which will immediately have the most wonderful effect upon
the horse imaginable. He will champ his bit, if you hold him in, and
appear to be all fire and mettle. When you ride off, he will hold up his
head, stick his ears forward, lift his feet with agility, and caper
about like a young colt. In a word, he will act the part of a fiery,
mettlesome horse, full of vigor and spiritedness.
THAT PART, OR THOSE PARTS OF THE MEXICAN STATES IN WHICH THE BEST RACE
OF HORSES IS TO BE FOUND, AND SOME OF THEIR QUALITIES.
The horses that are brought to Louisiana, under the name of Spanish
horses, generally come from Caahuila, Tamaulipas, and Neuvo Leon. They
are of a pretty good size, and commonly of a vicious disposition. They
are very much affected by the change of climate. They are likewise used
to a better kind of grass than that growing in Louisiana. They are much
larger than the creole horses, and when acclimated live longer. When
mixed with the creole horses, they form a good race, far better than the
creole horses. Planters generally suffer great loss in purchasing
northern horses, which are so much affected by the climate that hundreds
of them die every year. A better and more serviceable race of horses may
be raised, by procuring northern mares, and putting them with creole
studs. They will not only stand the climate as well as the creole
horses, but will render more service than the northern horses, and do
not require half so much care. But a race of horses, far superior to
either of the above-mentioned, can be raised, by procuring some of those
beautiful Andalusian studs, and putting them with northern mares. This
would be really improving the race of horses in this country. I would
likewise advise the planters to procure both mares and horses, and raise
at least some elegant riding horses from this Andalusian race. I have
more than once mounted upon a fiery Arabian steed, that hardly seemed to
touch the ground, as he bounded over the plains--I have likewise ridden
upon some of the finest horses raised in New Spain--and, for my life, I
have found it difficult to distinguish the difference between the former
and the latter. They are of the same size--their shape is the
same--their long, floating mane the same--their beautiful, small and
well turned hoof the same, and so hard that they travel over vastly high
and rocky mountains, without being shod. Add to this, their hardiness to
undergo fatigue. I have ridden one of these horses for twenty days
together, going from fifty to fifty-five miles a day, and frequently
changing from a cold to a hot climate, and vice versa; for in New Spain,
climates are hot or cold, according as they are higher or lower; and
this I have done, without my horse ever appearing in the least jaded,
or the leaner for it. The rider himself feels much more at his ease,
than he does when riding a heavy, clumsy horse, that moves along like a
camel, and is remarkable only on account of his unwieldliness, and is,
as a Kentuckian would say, “waste timber!” Besides, the Andalusian or
Arabian breed are the most elegant easy-going horses in the world. They
have no resemblance to those Spanish horses which are brought to this
country.
Now, as I have mentioned some of their qualities, I will inform the
amateur where he can best procure them. In going by land to the Mexican
states, the first horses of this kind to be met with, are raised upon
the Hacienda del Xaral, (pronounced Haral, and often written with a J,
Jaral,) two hundred and sixty miles this side of the city of San Louis
Potosi, in the state of the same name. Still further on, in the states
of Guanajuato and Quenetaro, the same race of horses is to be found, and
likewise in other places: but, those I here mention, would be by far the
most convenient places to procure them, as they are not so far distant
as others from Tampico, should one wish to bring them by sea to New
Orleans, nor so far from this state, should one prefer bringing them by
land. All of these fine horses, I here mention, are raised upon the
table-lands, where excessive heat is never felt: and yet, if you take
them down to the hot countries upon the coast, they will, even there,
do double the service of one of the hot-country horses, in their own
climate. I speak from experience, for I have tried both. They likewise
possess another good quality, which is that of being the most
sure-footed animals in the world, of the horse kind; not even excepting
a mule.
CAUTION TO BE OBSERVED, IN CUTTING OR PARING THE HOOFS OF YOUR HORSES IN
THIS COUNTRY, WHERE HORSES GENERALLY GO UNSHOD.
When you cut or pare the hoofs of your horses, be careful to cut them so
as not to let that soft part, which is in the middle of the foot,
commonly called the frog, rise above the outside of the hoof; for if you
do, it will undoubtedly make the horse limp. When it is too big, it must
be cut off. Nobody will do it so efficaciously as a blacksmith, and it
is better to pay such a one some trifle than to lame your horse.