228 RESOUKCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



are covered in front with pieces of thick leather, called tapa^ 

 deras, which prevent the feet from slip])ing through. The 

 fuste is usually covered by large flaps of leather called mochilas^ 

 and along the stirrup-straps are pieces of leather called suda- 

 dcras, to protect the legs of the rider from the sweat of the 

 horse's side. Cruppers and martingales are never used by the 

 Spanish-Californians. The bridle is so made that a hard pull 

 on the rein hurts the horse, and a severe jerk will throw him 

 back on his haunches. The bit has an arm projecting about 

 two inches up in the mouth. On ordinary occasions this arm 

 lies flat on the tongue, but when the rein is pulled it rises and 

 presses against the roof of the mouth. The slightest pull, 

 therefore, on a Spanish bridle is felt by the horse, and he will 

 stop instantaneously, though at full speed, if the reins be jerked 

 severely. It may be cruel to the horse, but it is very conve- 

 nient to the rider, and necessary to the vaquero. 



The common gait of the Californian horse under the saddle 

 is the gallop. He never paces or racks, and rarely tries a 

 sharp trot, but rests himself with a walk or a slow trot. His 

 gallop has an easy motion which does not tire the rider in fifty 

 miles. He has an excellent speed for a race of a quarter a mile, 

 but he cannot run two-mile heats with the thoroughbred, though 

 for a gallop of a hundred miles he has probably no superior. 



Many of the Californian horses have of late years been bro- 

 ken to the wagon and the plough, and they do very well for 

 farm work, though not equal to American horses. 



§ 167. JBlood-horses. — The American horses, that is the com- 

 mon stock of horses brought from the Atlantic States within 

 the last twelve years, and their oftspring, are large, fine animals, 

 not so healthy and tough as the Californian horses, but lai-ger, 

 more active, stronger and more handsome in shape and color. 



A large number of stallions and mares of fine blood have 

 been imported, including about fifty thoroughbreds or English 

 racers, two dozen Morgans or American trottei's, and a dozen 

 Clydesdale and Flemish, or heavy cart and truck horses. Some 

 of these horses are valued as hicrh as ten thousand dollars 



