A HORSE SAVED FROM DROWNING 303 



but not so much so as to let it be felt in the faintest degree ; 

 and in guiding him, let it all be done by a slight touch on 

 either side the snaffle. If a horse is reined-in in the water, he 

 can't swim, and most likely, by dropping his loins, will go 

 backwards. I remember two ladies from Bletsoe calling on Mrs. 

 Berkeley at Harrold Hall, just as I had come home from hunt- 

 ing, and was in my dressing-room, pulling off my boots. The 

 earlier part of the morning had been very wet, but at mid-day 

 it was fine. They were driving themselves in a one-horse 

 phaeton. I was partly dressed dressed all but my coat, 

 neckcloth, and waistcoat when, to my utter astonishment, I 

 heard a horse at a gallop, and wheels race along the gravel walk 

 beneath my window, where there was only a foot- way ; this was 

 succeeded by a smash against a tree towards the river in front, 

 and then I ran down. The fact was, the hounds who had not 

 been out had raised a cry at the return of their companions, 

 and the horse taking fright, threw the ladies into a hedge, and 

 turning his steps to my door, instead of stopping, kept his 

 course over the lawn, knocked off the body of the phaeton 

 against a tree, and plunged into the river, then in flood, with 

 the harness, long reins, and shafts hanging to him, swimming 

 down the stream, under the bridge, into deeper water, where 

 there was no possibility of landing for a mile. When I reached 

 the bank of the river the horse was swimming on towards Odell, 

 and the stream so strong that there was no saying where the 

 reins were ; so I did not like to swim in that strong stream, 

 among such hampering gear, but tore up pieces of turf, and 

 pelted the nose of the horse, to try and turn him. In this I 

 succeeded, and, when nearly exhausted, he turned against the 

 stream. I soon made out the position of everything, and then 

 swam in to his head. He was so frightened, that when I put 

 my left hand on his mane, he neighed in my ear, as if in joy at 

 my arrival ; and my first action was to haul up the long reins, 

 and fasten them to the rings, to prevent the action of the water 

 on the bit. I patted, and encouraged, and hit him to greater 

 exertion, for at first it was a toss-up who was strongest, he or 



