206 THE DOMESTIC HORSE. 



instance can be cited than in the case of a race- 

 horse finding his competitor begin to head him in 

 the course, seizing him by the fore-leg with such 

 firm teeth, that both jockeys were obliged to dis- 

 mount to part them.* . 



But the confidence of a horse in a firm rider 

 and his own courage is great, as was conspicuously 

 evinced in the case of an Arab possessed by the late 

 Gen. Sir Robert R. Gillespie, who being present on 

 the race-course of Calcutta, during one of the great 

 Hindu festivals, when several hundred thousand 

 people may be assembled to witness all kinds of 

 shows, was suddenly alarmed by the shrieks of the 

 crowd, and informed that a tiger had escaped from 

 his keepers ; the colonel immediately called for his 

 horse, and grasping a boar-spear, which was in the 

 hands of one among the crowd, rode to attack this 

 formidable enemy : the tiger probably was amazed 

 at finding himself in the middle of such a number 

 of shrieking beings, flying from him in all directions, 

 but the moment he perceived Sir Robert, he crouched 

 with the attitude of preparing to spring at him, and 

 that instant the gallant soldier passed his horse in 

 a leap over the tiger's back, and struck the spear 

 through his spine. The horse was a small grey, 

 afterwards sent home by him a present to the Prince 

 Regent. When Sir Robert fell at the storming of 



* This was a horse of Mr. Quin's, in 1753. Forester, ano- 

 ther racer, caught his antagonist by the jaw to hold him back. 

 Surely such animals should not be gored or cut with the whip 

 to do their utmost. 



