ii6 RIDING FOR LADIES. 



instance spoilt. There are very few horses indeed — even 

 the most unruly — that cannot be tamed, or made amenable 

 and obedient, by the hands and voice oi a kind and judicious 

 trainer, and for this sort of work women are especially 

 fitted. I mean, of course, women of courage and mind ; 

 not such as would scream at sight of a spider, or go into 

 fits if a mouse chanced to cross the floor. A woman's 

 voice carries great power along with it, and the touch of 

 her light firm hands can effect things at which a man's 

 would utterly fail. Gentleness goes ever in advance of 

 force, and leading is preferable to driving. Even if you 

 have to scold, or whip, there is a way of doing both that is 

 temperate and wise, and that will never create ill-will 

 between you and your horse. Fight an animal, and he will 

 fight you in return ; coax him by the gentleness of your 

 action and the sound of your voice, and he will be pretty 

 certain to yield. It is just the difference between " lead " 

 and " drive." Such, at least, has been my experience. 



I saw a horse some time ago in the west of Ireland, 

 caged like a wild beast, and fed with a pitchfork through 

 the bars of his door. Nobody would go near him, he bore 

 such a bad name, and the appellation his groom bestowed 

 upon him— "A tattherin' divii ! " — was certainly more 

 expressive than refined. I offered to buy him ; his owner 

 said I might have him for nothing ; but I gave what I 

 thought fair, and took the horse home. The creature was 

 ^wild from savage treatment. He had known nothing but 

 blows and threats, and angry epithets : things that he had 

 learned to understand only too well, and was, seemingly 



