THE-:- HORSE 



girth. Then place the right foot on the ground 

 about one foot from the horse's near shoulder, 

 release the left foot from its stirrup and bring 

 it also to the ground, so that a standing posi- 

 tion is assumed facing the animal's near shoul- 

 der, as in mounting. 



On a vicious horse that is likely to kick, the 

 rider can, by giving a jump from his left foot, 

 just before the right foot reaches the ground, 

 throw himself several feet from the horse, and, 

 incidentally, out of reach of his legs. 



Near Lake Tahoe, California, I saw one day 

 a cowboy mounted upon a notoriously vicious 

 horse. An Indian was standing by who wore 

 very long spurs. The cowboy dismounted and 

 requested that he be allowed to borrow these 

 enormous rowels. He then remounted his 

 animal, and, in order to see how these spurs 

 worked, he tickled his mount in the ribs with 

 them. Thereupon the animal, with a, wild 

 scream, leapt into the air and did some sky- 

 scraping bucks. 



The cowboy, being ill-advised, was taken by 

 surprise, and having slightly lost his seat from 

 the first leap into the air, seemed unable to 

 regain it. With his right hand he seized the 

 lariat rope, which was firmly attached to the 

 off side of the saddle, and was suddenly 

 thrown toward the ground off the near side of 

 the now thoroughly enraged animal. His right 

 spur caught the back of the cantle, and by 



17 



