OF FARRIERY. 



489 



" When a very young man," says he, " I re- 

 member purchasing a Horse at a fair in the 

 north of England, that was offered very cheap 

 on account of his being unmanageable. It 

 was said that nobody could ride him. We 

 found that the animal objected to have any- 

 thing placed upon his back, and that, when 

 made to move forward with nothing more 

 than a saddle on, he instantly threw himself 

 down on his side with great violence, and 

 would then endeavour to roll upon his back. 



"There was at that time in Yorkshire, a 

 famous colt-breaker, known by the name of 

 Jumper, who was almost as celebrated in that 

 country for taming vicious Horses into sub- 

 mission, as the famed Whisperer was in 

 Ireland. We put this animal into Jumper's 

 hands, who took him away, and in about ten 

 days brought him home again, certainly not 

 looking worse in condition, but perfectly sub- 

 dued and almost as obedient as a dog : for he 

 would lie down at this man's bidding:, and 

 only rise again at his command, and carry 

 double or anything. I took to riding him 

 myself, and may say, that I was never better 

 carried for six or eight months, during which 

 time he never shewetl the least vice whatever. 

 I then sold him to a Lincolnshire farmer, who 

 said that he would give him a summer's run 

 at grass, and shew him a very fine Horse at 

 the great Horncastle fair. 



" Happening to meet this gentleman the 

 following year, I naturally enough inquired 

 after my old friend. ' Oh,' said he, ' that was 

 a bad business — the Horse turned out a sad 

 rebel. The first time we attempted to mount 

 him, after getting him up from grass, he in an 

 instant threw the man down with the greatest 

 violence, pitching him several yards over his 

 head ; and after that he threw every one that 



attempted to get on his back. If he could not 

 throw his rider, he would throw himself 

 down. We could do nothing with him and 

 I was obliged at last to sell him to go in a 

 stage-coach." ' 



In the next story. Juniper's counterpart and 

 superior, the Irisli Whisperer, is brought on 

 the stage, and, although he performs wonders, 

 he cannot radically cure a restive Horse. " At 

 the Spring Meeting of 1804, Mr. Whalley's 

 King Pippin was brought on Curragh at Kil- 

 dare to run. He was a Horse of the most 

 extraordinary savage and vicious disposition. 

 His particular propensity was that of flying at 

 and worrying any person who came within 

 his reach, and if he had an opportunity, lie 

 would get his head round, seize his rider by 

 the leg with his teeth, and drag him down 

 from his back. For this reason he was always 

 ridden in what is called a sword ; which is 

 nothing more than a strong flat stick, having 

 one end attached to the cheek of the bridle, 

 and the other to the girth of the saddle, a con- 

 trivance to prevent a Horse of this kind from 

 getting at his rider. 



" King Pippin had long been difficult to 

 manage and dangerous to go near, but on the 

 occasion in question he could not be got out 

 to run at all. Nobody could put the bridle 

 upon his head. It being Easter Monday, and 

 consequently a great holiday, there was a 

 large concourse of people assembled at the 

 Curragh, consisting principally of the neigh- 

 bouring peasantry ; and one countryman, more* 

 fearless than the rest of the lookers-on, forget- 

 ting, or perhaps never dreaming that the 

 better part of courage is discretion, volunteered 

 his services to bridle the Horse. No sooner 

 had he committed himself in this operation, 

 than King Pippin seized him somewhere about 

 6 H 



