[Newspaper]
Publication: The Daily Globe
Washington, DC, United States
vol. 20, no. 24, p. 3, col. 3
AN EXHIBITION OF HORSE TAMING — AN EQUESTRIAN SPECTACLE IN TWO ACTS. — Prof. J. W. Cook, the inventor of a new system of horse-taming, gave a private exhibition of his skill yesterday afternoon at the Black Bear stables on Ninth, near Main. The spectators are pledged not to reveal the system for a year. The first horse subjected to the ameliorating influences of the Cook method was a bay gelding, the property of Mr. Hemingray. This animal has a constitutional contempt for dash-boards, or rather for entire vehicles. He has in his time demolished two buggies and a coal-cart, and on every fitting occasion displayed a disposition to enliven all branches of carriage manufacture. His kicking proclivities amounted to a mania, and rendered him not only a useless but an exceedingly dangerous beast.
We yesterday saw this vicious animal saddened. His inability to cope with his tamer made him give vent now and then to a most devilish squeal. But he surrendered at last, subjugated to a degree that made him indifferent to all manner of contumely and frightful noises. He was hitched up triumphantly to a buggy "kindly volunteered for the occasion." He was driven a short distance on the street when swish, crash, bang, whirr and tr-tr-tr-tr-thwack went his hind legs, and crack, slap, slam, zip and cr-cr-cr-crash went the buggy. Hardly enough of leather was left to answer for a medal to the horse-taming fraternity.
Back to the stable went the bay, and another prolonged and peculiar battle ensued between man and horse. The man conquered. Last night the saltatory equine was driven down town and stood a while in front of our office. He seemed to have become the mildest-mannered of family nags; but we didn’t get astride the dash-board and jingle anything at him.
[Cincinnati Commercial.]
