KRASNOE SELO 27 



Government buildings, some barracks, and a large number 

 of small houses which are hired for the summer by people 

 who are fortunate enough to be able to get out of St. Peters- 

 burg at that time. The extensive plains and undulating 

 ground in the vicinity of this village are occupied, I believe, 

 every year by a large camp of exercise. At Krasnoe Selo I 

 spent most of my time riding horses for Sorel, who, luckily 

 for me, had more animals on hand than he could keep in full 

 work. I saw a good deal of the cavalry manoeuvres, and was 

 much impressed by the steadiness and good riding of the 

 men. 



Hearing about my breaking from Sorel, Colonel Kasna- 

 kof, who is fond of horses and rides well, asked me one day 

 to wheel into line a fifteen-year-old white troop horse which 

 was quiet in every way, except that he objected to be bridled, 

 saddled, or mounted outside of a stable ; his defence being 

 that he hit out with his fore feet and ran back, if anyone on 

 foot attempted to get near him in the open. In order to 

 make the test of my breaking effective, the place chosen by 

 the colonel for the seance was an open plain, and the cavalry 

 soldier who looked after the horse was ordered to ride him 

 up to the assembled spectators and then get off, while still 

 retaining his hold of the reins, which had in the act of dis- 

 mounting been drawn over the animal's head. " What does 

 he do ? " I asked, because I had not been told anything 

 about his manner of " playing up." The reply I received 

 was an order to the man to try to mount. Every attempt 

 he made to put his hand on the mane or saddle was met on 

 the part of the animal by skilfully aimed blows with the fore- 

 feet and dashes to the rear, so that his would-be rider could 

 not get nearer to him than the length of the tightly stretched 

 reins. When this game, which was all in favour of the 

 old grey, had gone on long enough, the colonel asked me to 

 make the horse quiet to mount. In about ten minutes I 



