     This account was prepared to help horses and to point out possible

problems with their health and well being. Hopefully

it will mean our friend the horse is better understood by the

ordinary horse owner. I am biased in the horses favour, but he

needs a spokesman. If he could talk you would get an earful

in his best interests. The old remedies are in there to show

you how he was cared for, forty years and more into the past

they are not intended or expected  to compete with modern medicine .

          The horse breaking methods are likely to produce a

horse that has little fear of man but adequate respect  for

his rider. No doubt you have seen horses so brutalized that

they are a nervous wreck , shivering with fear when man comes near.

     Properly treated in the training stage of their education

most young horses will respond , temper tantrums of the trainer

     Treat your young horse like a new girlfriend, you must try to be gentle

Dirranbandi, who supplied a lot of the information on the subject of

CRIB BITING. TETANUS. TICKS. LAMENESS. STRINGHALT.

GIVING MEDICINES.

If you make a copy from this site

send me a dollar its alright

Don Johnson

3 south stn rd Booval 4304
Ipswich Queensland Australia

     Horse gentling is my preference, I do not believe in horse breaking or bronco

busting, the word should be gentling of coming to terms with your horse.

    The bronco buster ropes a young horse,  and snubs him to a  post.  The horse

down on the rope several times, and belts his head on the snubbing post, possibly

in his forehead  or maybe breaking his neck.  When he has no resistance left he is

and bridled, with a big jaw breaker type of mexican bit in his soft mouth.   He is

by a rider, who  spurs the poor bloody horse into submission.   He is bashed and

until he makes the required moves for his cruel master.   This treatment often

horse sour, with a hatred for man, and no wonder. I will say no more about these

 This fellow might throw his rope to catch the horse.  Once looped he wraps the

around a fence post.   The frightened horse races forward and slams into a fence,

his head in or gouging out an eye.  Or it gets to the end of the rope and breaks its

quite easily, particularly in a square or oblong yard.  Some use a roping pole in

yard to get the rope on his neck. This frightens the horse and it takes some time

down.  It is then pulled to a snubbing post in the middle of the round yard, or a

the yard. Worse still it will be flopped with a bag on a stick, so called Bagging.

horse is choking and being bagged, it may, out of fear, bang its head on the fence.

struggling, it may smash teeth  or break its neck.  It can be wind broken at the

This is part of the usual method used in horse breaking tried and recommended

 I did know Leo Casey the legendary horse breaker, who is of the same opinion as

about horse breaking.  He used to make a loop in a short rope  and hang it in a

on the fence of the round yard, making a snare loop.  When the horse was trotted

the yard he looped himself and took the short rope with him.   All Leo would say

" Got ya mate ".  In the round yard at the same time he would have his own quiet

horse. He then mounted his horse and picked up the  end of the horse catching

he pulled the catching rope under his horse`s neck from the offside to the

Bringing it over the wither of his own horse, he tied it to the rope again with a

After tieing the two horses together, he would gradually bring the young horse to

walking or trotting his own horse along side the young one , as in nature around

When he got it in close to his saddle horse, he would put his hand out and let the

horse smell him.  After a little while he would rub it under the eye,

 casting no fear into the animal.   Eventually he would rub it down all over.

    Later a halter hanging on the yard would be taken and put on the young horse.

catching rope could then be taken off the young horse.  The halter lead replaces

catching rope, in the above manner, under the neck of the horse being ridden and

place. Now Leo could pull on the halter with the rope around the chest of his

 horse,  to teach the young horse to stand.  And by the motion of his right hand to

forward.    Gently patting it along, he could teach it to turn right or left, and to

lead rope with his horse.  You can tell by the nature of the horse how soon you can

dismount, and walk up to him and let him smell your hand.  Talking to him as

forward, rub his nose and rub him under the eye, the kindest place you can touch

Do not rub him under the jaw or between the bottom jaws, near the mouth.  There

nerve centre there which upsets him, and he won`t like it.  He may try  to strike

     Strange horses meeting for the first time, can adopt a fighting stance.  They

for the jaw first, if they  miss, may grab the wither or back of the front leg.

 Sometimes, I`ve tied the halter rope to a good strong saddle horse,  and tied their

together with a hitch and a bit of binding twine.  Then in this manner, I have

young unbroken horses home, sometimes several miles distant, talking to them

handling them on the journey.  I have done this on many occasions and have

young horse.  But you must have confidence in your breaking in horse, to know

will hold the young horse and do the job you set him.     Test him with the young

the yard, before you attempt to go away.  You will know in a little while around

if he can do it.    Any good stout saddle horse should be good enough, all finished

an hour. When you open the main gate of the stockyard be ready for the young

will try to escape, and will make an effort to leave you  as you go out the gate.

firm hand on the reins of your  horse, bring your saddle horse around to the

Turn left sharply, forcing the young one to come with you, until it realizes you still

 Soon it will settle down, this treatment does work in practice as I have proved

    Back to the horse gentling, back in the round yard you can now approach the

horse on foot.  The experienced eye can tell if a horse is approachable on foot.  Go

rope and let him smell you and rub him under the eye. Things to look for when

near to him. If he snorts or pulls back, lays his ears back, rolls his eyes or shakes

from side to side, he may be unapproachable on foot.  He may strike kick or bite

this case get back on your horse and pick up the catching rope again, make a loop

his neck and tie a knot that won't slip. Perhaps a bowline knot so he won't choke.

the end of the rope back through the loop, leaving a trailing loop on the ground.

moving watch his nearside back leg. When he stands in the loop, pull up the rope

from your saddle horse. The back foot should be about a foot off the ground, tie a

and the young horse is now collar roped. It will need to be done quickly, to prevent

kicking and chafing of the back of the hind fetlock, this can burn the hair off

raw. Horses that are collar roped for the first time may throw themselves down, so

where he won`t hurt himself At this point go through the motions, let him smell

his forehead and under his eye. Keep him calm.  You can now pat this horse all

he can`t hurt you, unless he falls on you.  He cannot kick or strike you.  A fierce

will indicate to you whether he will bite.  If he is a vicious horse he will lay his

or roll his eyes, but I don`t think so now. It is possible to touch this horse

Even castrate it if you know how. You can certainly pull its tail to a decent level,

the hock .  Pull the mane and get the burrs out of it to a suitable length. A good

to teach him to halter,  approach the horse from the front, and take it off, and put

few times.  As many as you can.  When putting it on, always put the halter shank

his neck to hold him, whilst doing so.  You should not work a young horse any

than 2 hours in any one day. Sometimes less than 2 hours, as he may go sour in

confinement  and training. He may also fret if put in a stable after work.  At this

would be better turned out in the horse paddock,  with the rest of the horses and

his freedom again.  He will come in fresh in the morning.

     During the handling of a young horse you may find when they start to sweat,

may become stubborn and unmovable.  This is an indication they are turning sour,

halter off and let him go. It`s time for a break, next morning back to the round

your breaking in horse.  It may be possible while riding around the yard at a walk

steady trot, to get the halter shank around his neck.  Now stop and put the halter

He should now be at a stage to get up along side of him, and to drop the catching

around his neck.  Then put the halter on him, use the halter shank to hold him as

    If he is very flighty and fractious I recommend the leg rope again, after pulling

hind leg again.  Ease the saddle blanket on carefully and saddle and girth him up.

your time, talk to him, reassure him, while you do it. You can actually crawl all

horse, take your time patting with both hands everywhere.   Talking to him as you

him thoroughly.  Do not put your foot in the stirrup iron while he is collar roped

weight will likely pull the horse off balance, and he will fall to the nearside with

would be quite easy after you take the saddle off to quietly climb on his back.

hands up and down his legs, several times to the hooves and back.  After 20

this treatment it should be safe to remove the collar  rope,  off the back leg.

    You can then try approaching him in the normal manner.  Rub him down

head and withers and possibly pick up his feet.  Remember to hold his head

on the nearside, as you attempt to pick up  a nearside leg by the fetlock.  If his

firmly brought to the nearside he can not kick you. If he tries, pull on the halter

stop him.   He has to turn right away from you to be able to kick you.   You may

to do all the things you have done previously, when he was collar roped and had

tied up. If the horse is still not leading good enough on horseback, which is

at this stage, make a loop in your catching rope and throw it over his rump. While

your horse in the yard, lead the young one around the circle in the round yard.  It

take a slight tug on the rump rope, to encourage the young horse to travel with

saddle horse.  You could even take him out in the big yard now and do the same.

while you will discover you can discard the head rope behind his rump. So you

    Now back in the round yard.  Dismount and see if you can lead both horses

around the yard.  It will need to be done quite a lot, until he gets used to doing it.

Remove your saddle horse from the yard, and you can probably lead him, by the

he is not leading and turning by then, change over to a long yard, 12 to 20 feet

twice as long. Now encourage the horse to go past you, between you and the fence.

time he passes you, on the end of the rope,  down the fence line, pull him back

the centre of the yard.  Then  let him go the other way and do the same,

turn left and right as you require him to do.   This way you are making the horse

of the hard work,   and you are not just dragging a horse, to the left and the right

puts the strain on you all the time and you are just pulling on his head to lead

you do this for 20 minutes he will be breathing hard puffing a bit. So will you.

him towards you and keep pulling, even if he only takes a couple of steps.  Keep

and reward him with a rub on the forehead and under the eye.  In this manner he

learn to lead.  If he is still stubborn and won`t move back into the round yard, put

head rope around his rump again.  And use it to take him around several times.

him each time with a rub under the eye when he leads.

     At this stage most people are impatient.  If he won`t lead by this time there is

answer.   Hold him, a halter lead length away, by the halter rope, and have a

on the ground.  If he won`t move forward give him a flick behind the front

the whip, it will sting and make him move about and come towards you.  As you

forward, use this process on stubborn horses until they lead properly. Any horse

to lead by this method will lead anywhere, up a ramp, anywhere you`d like to take

don`t believe in too much whip.  But most old time horse breakers will tell you to

necessary.  They couldn`t all be wrong. Still again it can be over done, so be sure

    Go up to your horse and rub him under the eye and on the forehead.  Keep

him all the while, pat his neck and body with both hands, he should be used to

you have done it before. Get your saddle blanket in your right hand, and while

horses head around towards you, put the saddle blanket on his back.  You should

to do so now.  Do it several times until he shows that he is used to it.

  Now to tie him up .  He will be a little bit sore behind the ears from the halter

gave him.  Get a corn sack half full of dirt and tie the neck of it.

 Now tie the halter shank end to the neck of your sandbag securely. Be sure it

off.  Place it in the middle of the round yard.  He is then ground hitched to it.

then go for morning tea, leaving him to learn about being tied up.  Repeat this

he will form the habit of staying where you drop the reins.  And he will not

In the process he may drag the bag about a bit, and pull back some times.  But he

like the weight so he will stand eventually. Later on this should be done in the big

 Now that he will tie up, test him on the yard fence. Use the halter again, ( you

bridles this way. )  Make sure when tieing your halter to the fence, use about 3

between fence and halter. Tie it the fence  at least 5 feet above ground level, with

head in a comfortable position.  This is probably the safest way to tie him up.  If

back and he is tied with too long a lead, he may break his neck.   Don`t tie him

may help to break his neck. Also he can step over the lead and probably throw

Then as he struggles to get up, he will bash his head against the post or yard.  So

how you tie up any horse ! To avoid breaking reins, old time drovers punched a

each rein end and joined them with a light leather bootlace, this would break first

horse pulled back and it often saved bridle reins.  You have avoided hurting him,

bit of care.  So let him go with his mates until the next day.

    On the third day get him back into the round yard with your saddle horse.  It

possible with them both standing together in the yard, to put the halter on him.

 Put your breaking in bridle on him.  Tie the reins around his neck and see that

fits comfortably, in his mouth with no creases in the corners.  In 15 or 20 minutes

should be used to the bit in his mouth, if he is left loose in the yard to try it, so he

work his tongue around it.  Most people these days don`t have proper breaking in

so put your saddle cloth on him, and an old saddle.  Girth him up to keep the

 Tie each rein back to the girth or surcingle straps, evenly

 with his head in it`s normal position, when standing with the reins a little bit

him in the big yard with your saddle horse, for nearly an hour,  or until you think

become used to the bridle bit in his mouth.  After this treatment, shorten the reins

      But not too tight a grip on his mouth, just so he can really

 feel the bit and reins working,  as he turns his head to either side. Let him go

    On the fourth day put on your halter and bridle, plus the cloth and old saddle.

now have stirrup irons attached,  when he is saddled.  Tie the stirrup irons

his chest, with a strap. Your driving reins are run from his bridle bit, back

stirrup iron on each side, these reins or ropes must be long enough to have you

reach behind him if he kicks. Drive him in the round yard, do not be rough on his

be gentle.  A lighter hand makes a better mouth.  Do not see saw the reins.  Make

determined effort to turn right or left and make him do it. I can`t put enough

this driving with the reins.  With perseverance, he should distinctly turn right or

will stop when you decide to. To get him to move forward it maybe necessary, to

him a bit of a flap, with a downward stroke of the driving reins on his rump or

 Or a tap with the end of the reins, these driving reins should be split and 2

used, not tied together,  to avoid being caught by your leg and possibly dragged.

 Don`t be too hard on his mouth as it will be chafed and very tender now. It is a

practice to put vaseline in the corners of his sore mouth, it seems to help.

After a suitable time if he is responding to turns and stops.  If you can now

movements by his mouth, you can very likely ride him, soon.

    Back in the round yard with him, put halter bridle and saddle on our horse.

 Put the reins over the new horses neck, with the offsider holding the horse, by

the halter firmly.  Rein the horse up not too tightly, put your riding boot, right

stirrup iron.  Place your knee against his shoulder, don`t go up and down in the

   Step aboard with your hand on the monkey strap, ( found on Australian stock

keep your body low down, and make a clean movement on to his back. let him

few seconds to get used to your weight on his back.  Now let the offsider lead you

the yard several times, until he is moving freely. Get your offsider to bring in the

in horse, he mounts it and leads your horse by the halter, with a firm grip on the

 lead rope he can control your horse a bit. And so you are led out into the big yard.

around together a few times, then wrap the lead around this new horses' neck.

Disconnected he should travel with the other horse now, around the big yard.   So

    Next day mount him in the same manner in the round yard, go out into the big

together  with your assistant mounted also. We are now going for a short ride

  Make sure the offsider has a good hold on the halter lead, when you go through

 This is a danger point, he may try to run away, but you and your offsider can

mate. After half an hour or so, wrap the halter lead around his neck, he should be

freely now. Don`t over do it, he still can go sour, one to two miles should be

 A young horse should be ridden every day.  He may become slightly harder in the

on one side more than the other.   You then would need to concentrate on this

    Please be patient and get him gaited with distinct walking, not jogging. And a

trot, leading up to a steady canter.  It will take several months of steady riding,

  But you should make every movement of him distinct and deliberate, to give him

doubt of what you require of him.  So much so, that it is noticeable to other

stands out how responsive he has become. When cantering in a circle the inside

should lead the other front one in movement.  When you canter through a figure

circuit, he should change lead legs, to the inside of the turn.  As direction changes

need to change back to the other front leg, in a reverse movement.  The best way

at first, is to go clockwise with the offside leg leading.   Then after a time change

the anti clockwise movement.   With the inside leg leading again now the nearside

leg.  After you have completed these movements, do the figure eight.  Make sure

you do it that the inside leg leads after every turn change.

The legs must change over during the figure eight circuit moves.  It should be

a steady canter,  after he has been schooled into this situation, for example. In a

camp drafting, or hacking, and in every equestrian event.

  It is vital to have your horse do it at the right time. It only comes with practice

few months.  And if the horse is not too excitable.

    A good way to teach a horse to turn and to use his feet, is to ride him up and

fence. Try turning him into the fence, and going back the other way, at a trot and

changing feet in the right manner.  When this can be done cantering or galloping

    All horses are individuals and should be treated as such, it is what I call

their brain. On stud properties all foals should be caught every day and handled

birth. Eventually taught to tie up, pick up their feet often as possible, and try to

complete trust of you. Should they become injured, it is easier to care for them.

 ( Cast your mind back to the teamster, who had no trouble at all.   After handling

foals, from birth to the harnessed stage of their lives.  He could manage by

early days of Australia.  A man on horse back, helped to emphasize the gulf,

employer and the employees, working on distant bush properties, so far away from

    Always pick up his four feet at least once every day right from the beginning. It

it easier for the farrier when he does the shoeing of your horse.

    In the old days most horses were broken in with a crupper on the horse.  Fitted

his tail and attached to a ring at the back of the saddle.  When adjusting it to

do up the buckle, after putting your hand under it to give a four inch gap. This

just fine. After 2 or 3 rides with a crupper installed, he may start to kick up with

legs.  This is a sure sign that the crupper is chafing his tail.  If it's very sore,

    The ideal situation for me, is to put the young horse in a crush.  Let him go to

of the crush, and put 2 rails across behind him through the crush. One rail about

height of his tail and the other one halfway down to his hock.  Walk very quietly

head, he may struggle a bit but he will settle down if you talk quietly.  Let him

hand and rub him on the nose, and rub him beneath the eye, finally a rub all over

patting motion.  Use both of your hands at the same time, this should be kept up

have become very friendly with the horse.  Make sure you have done it right,

everywhere. While patting him hold a halter up to the front of his head, very

now you should be able to put the halter on the horse without any problem.

  If you let the horse go forward through the gate in the crush, into another yard,

catching rope onto the end of your halter lead rope.   Now 2 strong young men,

able to stop the young horse from bolting around the yard.  Hold it until it settles

 Rub him under the eye possibly all over, you have been there all ready.  I have

their feet at this stage, talking and patting as before.

    Two men pulling on the halter should be able to teach this horse to lead, with

halter inside at least half an hour.  Older horses may be more difficult than a 2

The younger they are the quicker they learn, like children.  This applies to foals

yearlings, up to 2 years old.  It can be done with a horse that is older, if they have

placid nature.   This style is called handling the horse, catching it every day in the

    Pick up its feet as often as you can.  If he is too fractious to let you, put a collar

on him.  He may come down on his knees or fall on his side, but if you are careful

  You may need your saddle horse in the yard with you, to get the collar rope on

up the hind leg.  Now dismount and handle the horse on foot as I have stated

teach him to tie up go back to the bag of dirt method.  Approach the young horse

as you can while he is tied to the bag of dirt. He will become used to being caught

the big yard.   A horse is only as good as the man on his back.

    If your usual horse is inclined to play up and pig root, when you get on him, or

little bit, jerk his head up and rouse on him. These horses generally drop their

control from you .  A horse lead at the trot or canter, just after being saddled, led

minutes quickly,  will get his pigrooting out  of his system without you being on

back.  This is an old Drover's  way to get the high spirits out of the way, to avoid

dumped by a horse then fed on chaff & oats for strength .  These horses were

days a week all day and needed  2 litres of oats per day.

 The man from snowy river was a myth, "Single handed and alone he brought

He must have been running in the saddle horses, they certainly weren`t brumbies.

    I`ve yarded a few in my time in the 1930's.  Starting out in the morning about

searching for brumby horse tracks.  Four horsemen we were all together, and

they have got to be good at their job.   At first sight of us these brumbies will run

These horses at their fastest pace, on account of travelling all the time,  become

horses and hardened to it.  Sound winded sure footed and know their habitat.

better mounted on thoroughbreds, lightly shod and well fed, and worked in till

conditioned. The faster these horses are the better mounts. To be sure footed is a

was my job to always go to the lead of the brumbies, another 2 men, one each on

right and left wings of the brumby mob.  And one to bring up the rear.  Old horses

foals may drop out, let them go.  The man in the lead has a woeful job, as do the

the wings.  The chap on the tail or rear, also needs to be game and good,

It was my job  to try and steady the lead, by shouting and crisscrossing in front of

mob.  You travel in this manner, to steady them down.   Eventually you may even

  You will notice the sweat starting to dry on them.  It is an indication that they

slowing down. They should be driven and turned about in this manner, until they

reasonably managed.  Finally after all day at this practice, you may be able to

    As for one man on horse back, he hasn`t a chance of doing what 4 top horsemen

 As soon as they get hot and confused, the brumbies will split and  break away in

twos or little groups, they have to be boxed in by the four riders to stop this

I`d defy any one man on horse back, to act out the part of the man from Snowy

 I will include a little poem of a Brumby horse we caught in the old days.

had one hip down and was not saleable.  A brumby stallion at seven years of age,

was to become a legend in his lifetime, in the brumby running department. These

stallions we rode with a bit of age on them, knew more about handling horses

          (by an 1890 Mungindi Brumby Runner)      Poet :-  Alex Wilkie.

    The myth of the movie maker who knows nothing about horses in harness.

horses cantering in a sulky, cart, or jinker.  Or any horse drawn carriage like a

Cobb and co style, four in tandem or six in tandem.  These horses are

 always cantering in the harness, sometimes for days and days  of a journey. They

    After a horse has done one day in harness at the canter, the top of his neck

chewed out, by the collar and both shoulders worn away to bare red flesh.  It

be done in the movies or allowed to be done anywhere.  All those drivers should be

sacked, for allowing it to happen and the movie maker prosecuted for cruelty to

animals.  They should travel in harness at a walk or jog to a brisk trot, allowing

    Only the experienced eye, will know when these horses have been hardened to

with consistent work.  A good even team, should be able to stretch out and trot

be hurried along.  No horse in harness should have to travel more than 25 miles

miles a day, which is the limit. Yoke a new team up if you must go on, it never

in the movies, they are more like charioteers over a short distance.  If pulling from

band this seesaw action, when cantering in harness is just the same, and just as

Damn all men of this calibre, who mistreat the harnessed horse.

    Old time carriers with their supply wagons or their wool wagons would take

into the inland. They would return loaded with wool to the nearest railway line or

scour, and wool selling places in the capital cities.

    The most ideal setup for a horse team  operator, was a good big solid wagon,

about ,24 good big boned draft horses mostly mares and a stallion .  The pulling

had to be fitted to each individual horse .  These collars range in size from 14

upwards.  The two shafters had to be pretty quiet to be backed into the shafts.

two horses were called the pin horses  and they carried heavy harness, as they,

shafters, were used to turn the wagon right or left .   The harness on the pin

very heavy duty, not only to pull with, but also to take the strain of the horses,

the body of the team effort. They were yoked in pairs of two right up to the

near side leader was picked for his intelligence and was relied on, by the carrier

The off side leader was equally important with the same qualities . When the

spoke to his leaders and pin horses to turn left, he would say.  " GE. GE. GE.".

    When turning right he said, "GE BACK. GE BACK. GE BACK." To get them

forward into the harness and down the road, it was, "GET UP. GET UP. GET

    To stop the wagon, he said "WHORP . WHORP . WHORP . OR WOE."

     Bullock drivers also  spoke to their bullock teams. When bringing them to the

said " WHA WHE ".   If they were to turn right, it was "HOOT OVER. HOOT

Every individual animal had a name and he knew it.   If he was slacking and not

his share of the load or weight, sometimes a dig in the ribs was enough to get

     The mares were not worked to the  point of foaling, the teamster knew when,

the day she would foal.  He kept service information in his notebook to know when

might  come. The mare was given a few days off to have it travelling with the

These spare horses were brought along by a cattle dog, or blue heeler, whose job

bring any wanderers back to the travelling mob.  After being told his job for a

dog did it without instructions keeping the horses in close to the rear of the

a horse wouldn`t pull his weight or wasn`t a good worker, these horses were called

and they were usually sold to a farmer, where they might pull a one horse plough