HORSES WHICH RUN AWAY. 195 



spurs, by bringing the hocks under the body, raises and 

 lightens the forehand, and consequently the animal can be 

 easily stopped. 



While riding with my pupils I have often asked them what 

 would they do if a run-away horse came up to them either 

 from the front or the rear ? I have also often asked persons 

 who have ridden horses all their lives the same question, but I 

 have rarely received a satisfactory answer, although this con- 

 tingency ought always to be provided against. We should bear 

 in mind that a man on a run-away horse generally runs less 

 danger than the riders who are in his road. We often see a 

 run-away animal dash into a group of horses with his head 

 down. To avoid him we must get behind the first obstacle. 

 If we are in a forest we should get into some bushes, and 

 will then escape with a few scratches. If we are on a road we 

 should get behind a tree ; if in a street, behind a lamp post. 

 In fact, anything will serve to shield us from the terrible 

 shock. Above all things we should move as quickly as 

 we can. 



If in place of getting out of the way, we wish to help a man 

 on a run-away horse, which is a praiseworthy but very difficult 

 attempt, we should gallop at full speed in the direction he is 

 going, while keeping a few yards in front of him. We ought 

 to speak in a loud tone of voice and try to give the rider con- 

 fidence. We should then slightly slacken speed, and as the 

 run-away passes alongside of us, we should try to catch hold 

 of his curb reins as near as possible to the mouth, and en- 

 deavour to stop him little by little. 



If we do not gallop in front of the run-away nearly as fast 

 as he is going, the jerk we will receive at the moment we catch 

 the reins may throw us out of the saddle. As we ought to 

 have one hand free, we should hold our reins in the other 

 hand, so as to be able to control and guide our mount. 



I may add that it is almost impossible to stop a run-away 



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