PACES, VICES, AND FAULTS. 139 



and unfair. Some excellent hunters, however, though not 

 by any means confirmed kickers, will lash out dangerously 

 when riders are crowded together at a gap, and this is 

 about the very worst time at which a horse can possibly 

 misconduct himself. When riding one of this sort, you must 

 be content to pay the penalty of his vagaries by isolating 

 yourself from the rest of the field — a disadvantage, of 

 course, for all riders naturally make for the best places at 

 which to get out ; and if, in spite of this, you are pressed 

 upon by others, you must put your hand to the back of 

 your waist, the fingers turning outwards, and motion 

 slightly with them, in order that those in the rear of you 

 may know that they are in peril. 



Buck-jumping is another most unpleasant vice, although 

 happily not a very common one in this country. I have 

 only come across one horse who possessed it. He belonged 

 to a Meath farmer, and I bought him for a song on account 

 of his failing. He got me off five times the first day that I 

 attempted to ride him, and so delighted was he with him- 

 self when he succeeded in gaining the odd number, that he 

 actually kept bucking about, like a playful goat, all around 

 me — squealing and romping, and flourishing his horrid 

 heels at me — while I lay exhausted upon the ground, too 

 much bruised to be able to get up without help. After this 

 I put a gag-snaffle on him, pulled the reins sharply when 

 he attempted to get his head down, and then, when he 

 lowered it in spite of me, let the leathers slip through my 

 fingers on to his neck, leaned back as far as ever I could 

 (still, however, keeping hold of the reins), and the moment 



