456 RIDING DIFFICULT HORSES. 



long reins. When a horse starts kicking, the rider 

 should take a strong grip of her crutches and lean 

 back, as far as she is able, while holding his head 

 up, and thus prevent herself from being thrown over 

 his head. The most awkward kicker I ever rode was 

 a mountain Zebra (Fig. 146), which my husband 

 broke in at Calcutta. He kicked very neatly without 

 lowering his head, and, as the slightest touch on his 

 ears drove him nearly out of his mind, I had great 

 difficulty in avoiding them, as he kicked with a sort 

 of peculiar wriggle which complicated the performance 

 for me, because I had had no practice on a kicking 

 zebra, and had to pick up my knowledge as I went on. 

 It was no use trying to rein him back ; for he had 

 a neck like a bull, with a small rudimentary dewlap, 

 and at every kick he gave, he made a noise like a pig 

 grunting. His skin was the best part about him, and 

 was as lovely and soft to the touch as the finest 

 sealskin. As I believe I am the only woman who 

 has ridden a mountain zebra, this photograph is pro- 

 bably unique. It ought to be a better one, seeing 

 the trouble I took to make my obstinate mount stand 

 still ; but he seemed to regard the camera as an in- 

 fernal machine destined for his destruction, and flatly 

 refused to pose nicely for his portrait. He was far 

 too neck-strong to make a pleasant mount for a lady. 

 Kickers, as I have already said, should never be taken 

 into any hunting field. 



