DENIZENS OF THE NEW FOREST. 261 



or a coach comes galloping behind. A horse in such 

 spirits is very likely to give a squeak, and (as he means) 

 a playful kick. This, when he can get his heels high 

 enough, probably brings one or both of them in con- 

 tact with the shaft or bar. This is a thing we cannot 

 well accustom him to bear, so he probably gives a 

 second kick : and if he does, you are lucky if he does 

 not go on ; for this reason I am an advocate for kick- 

 ing-straps, which, if properly put on, prevent the com- 

 mencing kick. 



With the same pair of horses I mentioned as being 

 so perfectly quiet as one of them to bear a loose bar 

 knocking against his heels, we once went for the first 

 time to see the New Forest ; and, being Summer and 

 the days hot, were going from Lyndhurst to Lyming- 

 ton when nearly dark. To our great suprise the 

 horses began pulling and going something like four- 

 teen miles an hour. My father, as he expressed him- 

 self, wondered '' what the devil had got into the 

 horses ! " They were, in short, half mad. On getting 

 into the Inn yard, and being stopped, they both began 

 to kick, and one got over the trace : however, we got 

 them out and into the stable : when there, the men 

 could not get near one of them ; he kicked till he 

 actually kicked the bar-standard out of the saddle. 

 This was nothing but the forest flies, to which they 

 were unaccustomed, and, being delicate-skinned 

 horses, could not bear, though these flies only crawl, 

 without stinging. In the middle of the night we 

 were forced to put two posters to the curricle, and 

 have our horses led ; nor did we stop till beyond the 

 haunts of the forest flies. Thus the quietest of horses 

 may become unmanageable if that occurs to which 

 they are unaccustomed : two less thoroughly trained 



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