BREAKING-IN WILD HORSES. 193 



and thus fulfil their instinct of association. In the 

 above case the shephertl-dog ranks the sheep as its 

 fellow-brethren, and thus gains confidence ; and 

 the wild dogs, though knowing that the individual 

 sheep are not dogs, but are good to eat, yet partly 

 consent to this view when seeing them in a flock 

 with a shepherd-dog at their head. 



One evening a " domidor" (a subduer of horses) 

 came for the purpose of breaking-in some colts. I 

 will describe the preparatory steps, for I believe 

 they have not been mentioned by other travellers. 

 A troop of wild young horses is driven into the 

 coiTal, or large enclosure of stakes, and the door 

 is shut. We will suppose that one man alone has 

 to catch and mount a horse, which as yet had never 

 felt bridle or saddle. I conceive, except by a Gau- 

 cho, such a feat would be utterly impracticable. 

 The Gaucho picks out a full-grown colt ; and as 

 the beast rushes round the circus, he throws his 

 lazo so as to catch both the front legs. Instantly 

 the horse rolls over with a heavy shock, and whilst 

 struggling on the ground, the Gaucho, holding the 

 lazo tight, makes a circle, so as to catch one of the 

 hind legs just beneath the fetlock, and draws it 

 close to the two front legs: he then hitches the 

 lazo so that the three are bound together. Then 

 sitting on the horse's neck, he fixes a strong bridle, 

 without a bit, to the lower jaw: this he does by 

 passing a narrow thong through the eye-holes at 

 the end of the reinS, and several times round both 

 jaw and tongue. The two front legs are now tied 

 closely together with a strong leathern thong, fas- 

 tened by a slip-knot. The lazo, which bound the 

 three together, being then loosed, the horse rises 

 with difficulty. The Gaucho, now holding fast the 

 bridle fixed to the lower jaw, leads the horse out- 

 side the corral. If a second man is present (other- 

 VoT,. 1—1.3 R 



