28 THE BRIDLE BITS. 



and tied one hind leg by the foot to a tree in his rear, 

 giving the colt about six feet play of both ropes. He 

 now took off his jacket (red leather of native tan and 

 grease), and taking it by the collar, beat the horse in tlie 

 head, right and left, until he (the Chilian) was as tired 

 of the performance as we were at seeing the Lrutal Chilian 

 plan. We stood amazed at the process, and although our 

 blood ooiled with indigT.ation, we resisted the temptation 

 to interfere, for it is by doing wrong that we learn to do 

 right, and as this wac an experience new to us we were 

 willing to sacrifice a wild horse to learn from it. The 



result of this beating was, as both the Chilian and we 

 expected, perfectly successful. The colt was tame beyond 

 conception from the time he was taken from the trees, 

 and gave no further trouble in handling ; but his spirit 

 in that short time was broken, as the horse life was taken 

 out of him forcA'er, and so perfectly subdued was he 

 that he walked listlessly about with his head and ears 

 down, heedless of what went on around him. 



This, of course, was abuse in the extreme, but it serves 

 to show that mililer acts of cruelty and rough treatment 

 have proportionate effects, and that a timid young horse, 

 while bridled up in a new position, with his mouth full 

 of loose iron annoying him, should be kept out of the 



