HORSE-TRAINING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 280, 5 December 1895, Page 12

HORSE-TRAINING.

It was my pleasure to witness last week Professor Van Buskirk’s method of handling “a real daisy.” She was one who had evidently served a complete apprenticeship to the kicking business. She was sprung upon the Professor at half play,, and introduced to him as “ rather ticklish.” Upon the Professor’s first inspection of her in his tent, he observed that she seemed a bad one. Little of her eyes was to be seen excepting the whites ; her ears were lying flat upon her neck, and there was a very assuring look of serious business in her whole aspect. Having first looked her straight in the eyes, the artist (he is a real-artist) adjusted the halter, and with one or two “ yanks,” as he quaintly puts it, intimated to her ladyship that he meant business. A surcingle and crupper having been adjusted, and a collar tied so as to dangle against her hocks. She stood this degration for a few moments, and then she “ went for ” that collar right, left, right, left, and then both heels together; eventually kicking the collar away so violently that it removed the crupper with it, thus demonstrating to the crowd that, she was a good kicker. Having readjusted the crupper and affixed the double safety rein, the Professor proceeded to drive the mare round the ring, controlling her whenever his experienced eye warned him that she meant to kick up. She reared, she struggled, standing up and pawing the air, always under the control of the Professor, and getting each minute madder and madder. After 15 to 20 minutes of this handling the collar was re-attached, and she rather reluctantly allowed herself to be driven with it dangling between her legs. Then this gear was removed, a halter substituted, and another kicking mare brought into the ring by a halter ; Van Buskirk looked them both in the eyes —as much as to say, Let me catch you kicking one another I —made them both follow him unled and left (hem with their heads amongst the musicians, who were in full blast; went behind “ the beauty ” and patted her and felt down her hind legs; explaining that there was still plenty of kick left in her, but that he had taken enough out of her for one night. It is the intention of Professor Van Buskirk to open schools of instruction in each town that he visits throughout the colony. He does not intend to break and train horses, but to teach others how to do so, so that the majority of the horses in the Australasian colonies may be properly broken and cured of vicious habits in the near future. Information as to the Auckland school may be obtained at Messrs Andrew and Sons’ Stables, Cook Street.