Master Parris liked horses, had some knowledge of the right way to handle them, and showed more wisdom in his treatment of this rather perverse animal of Dulcibel's than he had ever manifested in his church difficulties.
He began by what he called a course of conciliation--to placate the devil, as it were.

How he could bring his conscience to allow of this, I am not able to understand.

But then the mare, if the devil were once cast out, would be, on account of her rare beauty, a very valuable animal.

And so the minister, twice a day, made a point of going into the little passage, at the head of the stall, speaking kindly to the animal, and giving her a small lump of maple sugar.
Like most of her sex, Susannah--as Master Parris had renamed her, knowing the great importance of a good name--was very fond of sugar; and her first apparent aversion to the minister seemed gradually to change into a kind of tacit respect and toleration, under the influence of his daily medications.

Finally, the wary animal would allow him to pat her neck without striking at him with one of her front feet, or trying to bite him; and even to stroke her glossy flanks without lunging at him with her hind heels, in an exceedingly dangerous fashion.
But spiritual means also were not neglected.