318 CRUISIXGS IN THE CASCADES 



run cold, and will actually eat a few mouthfuls of 

 the earth when he gets mad enough. Sometimes 

 he will throw himself in his struggles, and again 

 as a last resort he will lie down and roll. This 

 must free him for a moment, but the daring and 

 agile rider is in the saddle again as soon as the beast 

 is on his feet. Then the horse is likely to wheel 

 suddenly from side to side and to spin round 

 and round on his hind feet like a top ; to snort 

 and bound hither and thither like a rubber ball. 

 During all this time the valiant rider sits in his 

 saddle, loose-jointed and limp as a piece of buckskin, 

 his body swaying to and fro with the motions of his 

 struggling steed like a leaf that is fanned by the 

 summer breeze. He holds a tight rein, keeping his 

 horse's head as high as possible, and plunges the 

 rowels into his flanks, first on one side and then on 

 the other, until frequently the ground is copiously 

 sprinkled with the blood of the fiery steed. The 

 duration of this scene is limited simply by the 

 powers of endurance of the horse, for in nearly 

 every instance he will keep up his struggles until 

 he sinks upon the ground exhausted, and, for the 

 time being at least, is subdued. Then he is forced 

 upon his feet again and may generally be ridden the 

 remainder of that day without further trouble. 



He is awkward, of course, but rapidly learns the 

 use of bit and spur, and soon becomes useful. Many 

 of these ponies, however, are never, permanently 

 subdued, and will "buck" every time they are 

 mounted. Others will, all through life, start off 

 quietly when first mounted, but suddenly take a 

 notion to buck any time in the day. This class is. 



