7» HORSEMANSHIP. 



National I should not offer him the mount ; he would be 

 very much out of his element in the Row, and might not, 

 during his first season, shine in the shires ; but taking him 

 all in all, for covering long distances of ground, for skill 

 in sitting thoroughly wicked and dangerous horses, and in 

 riding them through thickly timbered country, over break- 

 neck fences and trappy ground, he has no match. In a 

 mountainous, log and boulder strewn country, full of 

 scarped rocks and dangerous gulHes and ravines he 

 shines preeminently. 



It is on record, how that Jack Shirley, the whipper-in to 

 the Tedworth Hunt, was one day observed on his famous 

 horse " Gadsby," following the hounds at a rattling pace 

 straight down hill, with a large open clasp-knife in his mouth 

 busy tying a whip-cord lash to his whip. The old trained 

 hunter, by throwing his legs fonvard and his body back, 

 knew that he was safe in galloping straight down the turfy 

 incline, and so did hard-riding Jack Shirley. What was 

 seen with the Tedworth might be witnessed any day and 

 every day in the bush. The stock-rider, in an ordinary buck- 

 saddle, with a snaffle bit, has to be ever on the alert to round 

 in some break-away steer or to turn some pugnacious bull. 

 His horse, too, when once he is broken to the game, is as 

 clever as a sheep dog : he has full liberty of his head and 

 uses it. The reader will not dream of galloping in Rotten 

 Row or on the Queen's highway, but there is no reason 

 why he should not, when so disposed, enjoy a "breather" 

 on the Downs, or over any good sound galloping ground ; 

 indeed, should he aspire some day to don '' pink " he must 

 accustom himself to the gallop, On light springy turf, such 

 as that of the Heath, at Newmarket, he may give his horse 

 his head and let him stride along, getting up in his stiriups, 

 grasping the mane, and going slowly up the last bit of 



