90 CAPRICE. 



ance of his, well aware of liis propensity, exclaimed in 

 terms not complimentary to Baronet at my possession 

 of him, and was much amused when I told him my 

 simple method of managing this self-willed gentleman. 



The same sort of what I can scarcely help terming 

 "instinct" that has often taught me, and doubtless 

 hundreds of other practical horsemen, to meet the whims 

 of their steeds so as to suit themselves, produced a vic- 

 tory somewhat similar to the foregoing over an animal 

 that, in the presence of a large assembly interested in 

 his performance, most determinedly refused to trot, 

 though ridden successively by the most skilled nags- 

 men Dycer's yard could produce, as well as by Dycer 

 himself. 



I proposed to try my hand, and the animal at first 

 start pursued the same uneasy half canter with me ; but 

 perceiving that he seemed particularly desirous to take 

 a drink from a trough that happened to be in the way, 

 I allowed his attention to be distracted by taking as 

 much water as he pleased from it ; and then turning 

 him in the opposite direction from that in which he had 

 so obstinately persisted in his own gait, patting and 

 doing all I could to reassure him, dropping the bit-rein 

 altogether, and taking a very light and lengthened hold 

 of the snaffle-rein, I let him move off at his own pace, 

 which, to the surprise of every one present (my own, I 

 admit, included), proved to be a walk, which he imme- 

 diately changed into a jog-trot all up the yard, winning 

 for me a bet of twenty sovereigns to one from the late 

 Edward Dycer, that the horse could not be made to trot 

 within a quarter of an hour of the rider mounting. 



Now, it is only caprice that can account for the likes 

 and dislikes of horses about going lead or wheel in 



