RIDING VICIOUS HORSES. 43 



Riding and bridling Horses which have 

 Tricks or Vices. 



The art of making horses which come under the above 

 category, conform to the wishes of their rider, who of 

 course ought to be a good horseman, is mainly depen- 

 dent on the fact of his possessing " nei-ve," "temper," 

 patience and firmness. It frequently happens that a 

 man who in his youth " could have done anything " he 

 pleased with a horse, begins to lose his wonderful power 

 the moment his nerve commences to "go." A hesita- 

 ting manner in approaching, a trembling about the 

 knees, or a nervous clutching at the reins when mounted, 

 betrays the rider's secret, often before he is conscious of 

 it himself, to the observant animal, which is only too 

 ready to change his position of servant to that of 

 master. Although our horses should never be allowed 

 to oppose their wills to ours, still we should endeavour 

 to obtain from them friendly obedience, rather than the 

 sullen submission of cowed slaves, for a horse's courage 

 and intelligence are as needful to us as his speed and 

 strength. No one who loses his temper or is timid 

 when in the saddle, deserves the name of a horseman. 

 There is such infinite variety in the dispositions of 



