CHAPTER IX.LEWISTON—EDUCATING THE HORSE “ANFIELD”—TESTIMONIAL—CONCORD—MANCHESTER—A STEAM ENGINE IN THE RING—LOWELL—LAWRENCE.
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 outen masse, but, as the horse was led into the ring, the whole audience seemed terror-stricken, wondering, no doubt, whether or not I wouldshare 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 tohave 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.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.
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 tohave 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.
LEWISTON ACADEMY.
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 themsome 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.