iS6 TAMING WILD HORSES. [cha] 



observed, that all animals that readily enter into domesti- 

 cation, consider man as a member of their own society, 

 and thus fulfil their instinct of association. In the above 

 case the shepherd-dog ranks the sheep as if 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 horsesj 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 corral, 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 

 Gaucho, 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, 

 fastened 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 outside the corral. If a second man is 

 present (otherwise the trouble is much greater) he holds 

 the animal's head, whilst the first puts on the horse-cloths 

 and saddle, and girths the whole together. During this 

 operation, the horse, from dread and astonishment at thus 

 being bound round the waist, throws himself over and over 

 again on the ground, and, till beaten, is unwilling to rise. 

 At last, when the saddling Is finished, the poor animal can 

 hardly breathe from fear, and is white with foam and sweat. 

 The man now prepares to mount by pressing heavily on the 

 stirrup, so that the horse may not lose its balance ; and at 



