Faucher, or no one else, can ever learn the horse a single thing by the means of a scent alone.

How long do you suppose a horse would have to stand and smell of a bottle of oil before he would learn to bend his knee and make a bow at your bidding, “go yonder and bring your hat,” or “come here and lay down?” Thus you see the absurdity of trying to break or tame the horse by the means of receipts for articles to smell of, or medicine to give him, of any kind whatever.

The only science that has ever existed in the world, relative to the breaking of horses, that has been of any account, is that true method which takes them in their native state, and improves their intelligence.

POWEL’S SYSTEM OF APPROACHING THE COLT.

But, before we go further, I will give you Willis J. Powel’s system of approaching a wild colt, as given by him in a work published in Europe, about the year 1811, on the “Art of taming wild horses.”  He says, “A horse is gentled by my secret, in from two to sixteen hours.”  The time I have most commonly employed has been from four to six hours.  He goes on to say:  “Cause your horse to be put in a small yard, stable, or room.  If in a stable or room, it ought to be large in order to give him some exercise with the halter before you lead him out.  If the horse belong to that class which appears only to fear man, you must introduce yourself gently into the stable, room, or yard, where the horse is.  He will naturally run from you, and frequently turn his head from you; but you must walk about extremely slow and softly, so that he can see you whenever he turns his head towards you, which he never fails to do in a short time, say in a quarter of an hour.  I never knew one to be much longer without turning towards me.

“At the very moment he turns his head, hold out your left hand towards him, and stand perfectly still, keeping your eyes upon the horse, watching his motions if he makes any.  If the horse does not stir for ten or fifteen minutes, advance as slowly as possible, and without making the least noise, always holding out your left hand, without any other ingredient in it than that what nature put in it.”  He says, “I have made use of certain, ingredients before people, such as the sweat under my arm, etc., to disguise the real secret, and many believed that the docility to which the horse arrived in so short a time, was owing to these ingredients; but you see from this explanation that they were of no use whatever.  The implicit faith placed in these ingredients, though innocent of themselves, becomes ‘faith without works.’  And thus men remained always in doubt concerning this secret.  If the horse makes the least motion when you advance toward him, stop, and remain perfectly still until he is quiet.  Remain a few moments in this condition, and then advance again in the same slow and imperceptible manner.  Take notice:  if the horse stirs, stop without