BUCK-JUMPING. 265 



does not, as a rule, last long. The process is so fatiguing 

 to the horse that few horses can perform more than six or 

 seven vicious bucks without pausing to rest. When an 

 animal of this kind finds himself unable to unseat his rider, 

 he will usually give up trying to do so. 



If a man has to ride a buck-jumper, he will have a much 

 better chance of " remaining " in a small enclosure than in the 

 open ; for in the former, the animal will not be able to get 

 up much pace. In the latter, the rider is impaled on the 

 horns of a dilemma ; for if he keeps a good hold of the 

 reins, he will probably get pulled over the animal's neck ; 

 but if he lets the reins loose, the horse will generally go off at 

 a smart pace, and will then buck and halt with an amount 

 ' of momentum that will be almost impossible to resist, 

 even if the sudden shock be not followed by several others 

 of the same kind. The heavier the ground, the more 

 difficult will it be for a horse to buck, and the easier will 

 be the falling. Mounting a horse in water up to his girths 

 and then letting him " rip," is an old and safe plan for taking 

 the buck out of an animal. 



For evident reasons, the saddle for a buck-jumper should 

 be furnished with a crupper and breast-plate. A gag snaffle 

 will of course be the best general bit with which to ride an 

 animal of this kind. Or, having put on a snaffle with double 

 reins, we may unbuckle one pair at the centre, cross them 

 over the withers, and attach them respectively to the " Ds " 

 on each side (the near rein going to the off " D," and the 

 off to the near), so that the horse may not be able to get his 

 head down. He should then be ridden with the other reins. 

 This method, which I have often tried with success, is of course 

 more suited for breaking than for ordinary riding. 



Before mounting a horse which is inclined to buck, it is 

 advisable after having saddled him, to lunge him and turn 

 him sharply several times with the long reins (p. 210) for 



