iS8 WELL-BROKEN HORSES. [chap, viil 



appears to exert any muscular force. I was one day watch- 

 ing a good rider, as we were galloping along at a rapid 

 pace, and thought to myself, "Surely if the horse starts, 

 you appear so careless on your seat, you must fall." At 

 this moment, a male ostrich sprang from its nest right 

 beneath the horse's nose : the young colt bounded on one 

 side like a stag ; but as for the man, all that could be said 

 was, that he started and took fright with his horse. 



In Chile and Peru more pains are taken with the mouth 

 of the horse than in La Plata, and this is evidently a con- 

 sequence of the more intricate nature of the country. In 

 Chile a horse is not considered perfectly broken, till he can 

 be brought up standing, in the midst of his full speed, on 

 any particular spot — for instance, on a cloak thrown on the 

 ground : or, again, he will charge a wall, and rearing, 

 scrape the surface with his hoofs. I have seen an animal 

 bounding with spirit, yet merely reined by a fore-linger and 

 thumb, taken at full gallop across a courtyard, and then 

 made to wheel round the post of a veranda with great speed, 

 but at so equal a distance, that the rider, with outstretched 

 arm, all the while kept one finger rubbing the post. Then 

 making a demi-volte in the air, with the other arm 

 outstretched in a like manner, he wheeled round, with 

 astonishing force, in an opposite direction. 



Such a horse is well broken ; and although this at first 

 may appear useless, it is far otherwise. It is only carrying 

 that which is daily necessary into perfection. When a 

 bullock is checked and caught by the lazo, it will sometimes 

 gallop round and round in a circle, and the horse being 

 alarmed at the great strain, if not well broken, will not 

 readily turn like the pivot of a wheel. In consequence many 

 men have been killed ; for if the laizo once takes a twist 

 round a man's body, it will instantly, from the power of the 

 two opposed animals, almost cut him in twain. On the 

 same principle the races are managed ; the course is only 

 two or three hundred yards long, the wish being to have 

 horses that can make a rapid dash. The race-horses are 

 trained not only to stand with their hoofs touching a line, 

 but to draw all four feet together, so as at the first spring 

 to bring into play the full action of the hind-quarters. In 

 Chile I was told an anecdote, which I believe was true ; and 

 it offers a good illustration of the use of a well-broken 

 animal. A respectable man riding one day met two others, 

 one of whom was mounted on a horse, which he knew to 



