COLONIAL HORSES AND PONIES. 105 



are the progeny of Coxcomb, who was by Yattendon. 

 Horses have carried a 13st. man from Winbar to Bourke, 

 a distance of nearly ninety miles, in a day of twelve 

 hours. These horses have wonderful powers of endur- 

 ance, and although not much to look at are very 

 deceptive when tackled. 



Occasionally these well-bred stallion horses are 

 used as a " take down.'^ I will give an illustration of 

 what I mean. 



A bushman calls at an inn in a small up country 

 village. He is mounted on an animal with shaggy 

 hair and a generally unkempt appearance — the sort 

 of horse a London coster would be inclined to pit 

 his donkey against. The bushman primes himself 

 and those in ihe inn with liquor, and in the course 

 of conversation it comes out that one of the com- 

 pany has a horse he fancies can race. 



" My old horse can gallop a bit," says the bush- 

 man, at which there is a roar of laughter. 



The bushman pretends to wax wroth, and after 

 much argument he agrees to run his horse against 

 the best any man has in the room for five or ten 

 pounds aside. 



The challenge is at once taken up, and when the 

 shaggy- looking animal begins to race it is generally 

 a case of the bushman^s nag first and the local 

 champion distanced. 



The up country folk in Australia are the most 



