DEFENSES OF THE HORSE. 285 



Bucking is a desperate effort to throw the 

 rider ; the horse will gather his legs under him 

 in as close a group as possible, curve his back 

 upward like an angry Tabby when she espies 

 Towser, lower his head, endeavor to burst the 

 saddle-girths by forcibly expanding his abdo- 

 men, and then without making any advance or 

 retreat bound up and down upon all four legs, 

 which are held as rigid as iron rods. Sometimes 

 he will produce a see-saw movement by repeat- 

 edly and rapidly throwing himself from his hind 

 to his fore legs. These motions will be kept up 

 as long as he can hold his breath, which gener- 

 ally becomes exhausted after five or six bounds; 

 he will then renew his breath and may repeat 

 the bounds. 



When a horse " bucks," the rider must keep 

 her seat the best way she can. Her body should 

 be held as straight as possible, although the nat- 

 ural tendency will be to lean forward and to 

 round the shoulders ; she should also take a firm 

 knee-grasp upon both the second and third pom- 

 mels, keep a steady hold upon the reins, and be 

 especially on her guard against allowing her 

 body to be pulled forward as the horse jerks his 

 head down. Fortunately, very few thorough- 

 bred horses buck violently, their movement 

 being more of a plunge. The horses of the 



