It is no wonder that the Indian rode weU. Before he 

 could walk, or talk, or remember, the lad had been tum- 

 bled into a parfleche with a lot of puppies or tepee stuff, 

 and had travelled scores of miles a day ; he had later been 

 tied to a horse, or been set astride his neck, and told to 

 hold on by the mane, or fall off and be left behind ; and 

 no Indian can recollect the time when he could not ride 

 anything and everything which came along. The old 

 knightly training — and why does it not, broadly construed, 

 cover all that one wants to know ? — to ride and fence and 

 speak the truth, was carried out for two-thirds its value 

 by the Indian. They could ride, and they could use their 

 weapons. The boys from twelve years up do most of the 

 herding among all Indian nations, and m this occupation 

 the}" become familiar with every pony in the tribe. It is 

 probable that the lads have roped and mounted in suc- 

 cession every one intrusted to their care, and have learned 

 its individual qualities, while gaining in general horse- 

 manship. 



Even to-day the Indian always races bareback. His 

 saddle weighs far too much, and he himself does not train 

 down like our jockeys, except when he is starved on the 

 war-path, and racing is a pastime of peace ; so that at the 

 starting-post he strips off all he can from both his horse 

 and his own person. He is keenly fond of speed-matches, 

 and is up to every known and unknown trick of gambling 

 or -jockeying. He can give long odds to the best race- 



