Coyote Hunting on the Plains of Colorado 89 



It was the writer's first experience in a ranchman's saddle, 

 and he felt as if he were sitting in the crotch of a tree. The 

 pommel of the saddle came as high as the lower pockets in his 

 waistcoat in front, and the cantel as high as his waistband 

 behind; the most awkward part was that the stirrup leathers 

 were so far back he was obliged to ride with a nearly straight 

 leg and long stirrup leathers. It was a pleasure to see Mr. 

 Petrie and his old foreman swing themselves into their saddles ; 

 adjusting their stirrup to the left foot, they catch hold of the 

 pommel of the saddle, and drop into their seats with apparently 

 no effort at all. As thej^ do so, they raise the reins, in the 

 left hand, high above the pommel, and with a slight pressure 

 of the reins to the right or left against the horse's neck, with 

 a sway of the body in the same direction, they are off. In 

 fact the whole thing is accomplished like one motion, and before 

 they have fairly reached their seat, their horses are making the 

 turn, and under way. 



They use a gag bit with single reins, a very harsh bit which 

 they leave severely alone, the horse being guided by pressure 

 of the reins against the neck, and a swaying of the body, and 

 stopped mostly by word. These reins are long, but are on no 

 account fastened together. When the cowboy wishes to dis- 

 mount, he allows both of these reins to fall on the ground. The 

 horse ^\i\\ feed about, but not attempt to go awa}" until the reins 

 are taken up. While they drag on the ground, the horse is as 

 good as hitched. 



The hounds were loaded into an improvised crate of wire 

 netting, with the back end of the crate on hinges, and held in 

 place by a rope that went forward to the driver's seat. Should 

 hounds be needed, all the driver had to do was to slacken the 

 rope, when the hounds would rush out and away in pursuit of 

 their game. As already mentioned, greyhounds can only 

 follow the chase as long as the animal they are pursuing can 

 be kept in sight. Therefore, on the undulating plain, it was 



