John S. Rarey and Cruiser

John S. Rarey, born in 1827 and associated with Groveport, gained international fame in the mid-19th century for humane horse-training methods that relied on talking to the horse and using a gentle but firm touch. His horsemanship drew people from around the world who brought unruly horses to him, and throughout his life he refined the Rarey Method and won national and international recognition. His greatest success came with Cruiser, a vicious English stallion born in 1852 and owned by the Earl of Dorchester, whose speed was notable but whose violent temper made him impossible to race. Cruiser would erupt in fits of rage, kicking and screaming in his stall when anyone came near. In England in 1857, Rarey accepted the challenge of applying his methods to Cruiser, walked alone into the stall, and three hours later emerged riding him. Rarey then took possession of Cruiser, and the pair traveled the world gaining fame and fortune as Rarey demonstrated his techniques. In 1862, Rarey built a mansion at 751 Main Street in Groveport, along with a stable and paddock for Cruiser. Rarey and Cruiser became a lasting source of inspiration in Groveport and Madison Township, where Groveport Madison Schools adopted Cruiser as a mascot in the early 20th century, with red and black school colors reflecting his fiery spirit and dark coat, and where a likeness of Cruiser appears in the seal of the Village of Groveport.

Groveport, Ohio · United States