DISCRIMINATION. 207 



child could ride her with hounds. During the summer, 

 however, chiefly, I believe, from the extreme thinness 

 of her skin, she was so troublesome when flies were 

 about, that my wife most reluctantly consented to her 

 being sold. The first time the hounds met, I desired 

 a helper I had taken from a steeple-racing stable to 

 take the mare out, and mention my determination to 

 part with her. On his return, I found the mare spurred 

 from shoulder to flank. This I well knew she never 

 wanted. I asked no questions, but told the man he 

 should go at the end of the week. The next morning 

 I desired him to give her half an hour's walking ex- 

 ercise, and prepared to see it done. She was brought 

 out : with the greatest difficulty possible we held her 

 till he got up : she then set to plunging, bucking, and 

 kicking so violently, that, though a good horseman, 

 she sent him over her head, then lashed both heels at 

 him, and a narrow escape he had. Nothing we could 

 do could induce her to let him come near her again. 

 I put a friend then on her, but she sent him spinning 

 in a very short time. I then took off the saddle, 

 doubled a rug, put on a surcingle, and jumped on her : 

 she plunged and kicked till she was as if ridden 

 through a pond. 1 never even spoke harshly to her. 

 At last she got perfectly quiet ! I got off, had her 

 dressed, and brought out again saddled ; she carried 

 me as quietly as ever ; but the moment the man ap- 

 proached her, she began again. I then put a boy up 

 who was accustomed to ride her at exercise; she 

 carried him with perfect good temper. I tried her 

 several days afterwards, but she would carry no one 

 but me and the boy : my wife, as a matter of curiosity, 

 desired her saddle to be put on. I saw the mare meant 

 well; so my wife got up : the poor mare went just as 



