INTRODUCTION 17 



it without touching it, I try his other paces, and if I 

 like them I have no reason to fear his tumbling down. 

 There are other ways in which horses fall down on the 

 road. One is by sudden starting, when their legs 

 " fly from under them," as it is termed ; and another 

 by what is called " a false step," that is, by placing 

 the foot on a stone that rolls from under it ; or from 

 the giving way of any substance on which they may 

 tread ; also from the corns or thrushes, in which case 

 they come down to the ground more suddenly, and 

 with greater violence than when the fall is occasioned 

 by a stumble. Falls, however, of this nature generally 

 proceed from want of energy in their action and a 

 good use of their hinder legs ; but as circumstances 

 of this nature will occur on all roads, it shews the 

 necessity of never trusting a hack entirely to himself. 

 With the exception of post-boys and commercial 

 travellers, few persons have ridden the road more 

 than I have done ; and I attribute the trifling number 

 of falls I have had to never trusting my horse. I 

 have always made it a rule to feel his mouth lightly, 

 and generally more with the bradoon than with the 

 curb, and for the following reasons : In the first place, 

 to go safe on the road, a horse must carry his head 

 where nature intended he should carry it, and by 

 riding him on the bradoon he will be the more inclined 

 to do so. Secondly, by always feeling his mouth, 

 however lightly, you are enabled to give him assistance 

 immediately on his legs failing him, when a very little 

 will be sufficient to restore the equilibrium : but if 

 you ride him on the curb, with a loose rein, he may 



