Willis J. Powell

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Willis J. Powell wrote a book with John Solomon Rarey, Tachyhippodamia; on The New Secret of Taming Horses. This book was published before he died in 1848, but no publishing date is stated in the book itself. A later reprint was in 1872, in Philadelphia, by the W.R. Charter publishing house. It can still be purchased as a rare book. Powell credits an earlier "horse whisperer" from Ireland in the opening pages of his book, but that trainer's name is not mentioned.

Powell traveled from Louisiana to Mexico where he lived for about 12 years, and then to Cuba, Guatemala and California, taming horses. He apparently made a good living doing so. He also was a polyglot, speaking five languages: English, French, Greek, Latin and Spanish.[1] This fascination with languages may account for the title of his book.


(Information for this brief account was provided in a communication to Wikipedia by a lineal descendant of Powell, Mr. Michael Haugh.)

Tachyhippodamia on-line

Tachyhippodamia on-line revised edition

References:

  1. ^ Tachyhippodamia, Willis J. Powell, p. 22