326 INDIANS. 



riding, shooting, racing both on foot and horseback 

 wrestling, swimming ; and with the boys a sort of game 

 of ' tag.' In good weather nearly half a buck's waking 

 hours are passed in the saddle. Biding is second nature 

 to him. Strapped astride of a horse when scarcely able 

 to walk, he does not, when a man, remember a time 

 when he could not ride. Having never seen the riding of 

 Arabs, Turcomans, Cossacks, and other world-renowned 

 riders, I cannot say how the Indian compares with them, 

 but I am satisfied that he is too nearly a Centaur to be 

 surpassed by any. 



The bit used is commonly known as the 'Mexican 

 bit.' It is a most cruel affair. The bar is bent in the 

 centre, forming a tongue from two to four inches long, 

 which extends backwards towards the horse's throat To 

 the upper end is attached an iron ring, which embraces 

 the lower jaw, forming the curb. Long side levers are 

 attached to the bar, and to these the reins of horsehair 

 or raw hide. The headstall is of horsehair, and elabo- 

 rately ornamented with round silver or plated buckles. 

 With such a bridle the most refractory horse can be 

 thrown on its haunches by one turn of the wrist, and I 

 have heard of one or more instances where a horse's jaw 

 was broken by a violent pull. 



The saddle is a light frame of wood, the side pieces 

 shaped to fit a horse's back. The seat is not rounded, 

 but almost perfectly straight, and forms very nearly right 

 angles with the pommel and cantle. These are about 

 eight inches high above the seat. The pommel ends with 

 a rounded knob. The cantle, rather wide at top and 

 bottom, is cut away in the middle to make a depression 

 to fit the leg or heel of the rider, and forms his support 

 when he wishes to throw himself on the side of his horse. 

 The whole is covered with green hide, which in drying 

 binds all the parts together tight and strong almost as 

 iron. 



The girth is a broad band of plaited hair, terminating 



