84 THE BRIDLE BITS. 



We would not have noticed the gallant captain's re- 

 marks on the English horse, but for the advantage it 

 gives us in drawing a line between the English breeds of 

 horses and tliose of other countries, in botli their actions 

 and government in their respective and appropriate vo- 

 cations under the saddle. Other remarks of the captain 

 on this subject show that the Eastern horseman's advan- 

 tage over the European cavalry soldier is due to his sharp 

 sword and small, active horse, that is perfectly obedient 

 to the bit and performs in proportion to his size. The 

 value of the English horse is from five hundred to one 

 thousand dollars, Avhile that of the mustang (that can 

 beat him) is fifteen dollars. Adieu, captain. 



To bring a horse of a thousand pounds to a dead stand- 

 still from almost full speed, turn round and charge to 

 the rear as easily as one can a small cat of a mustang or 

 Arab, is sheer nonsense to assert ; and it is in such per- 

 formances that the English or American horse of the 

 cavalry standard is helpless compared with the small, 

 active horse who has degenerated to four or five hundred 

 pounds weight from its ancestor, the famous Andalusian 

 breed, imported by Cortes and occasionally abandoned in 

 the desert, where his descendents now roam in wild 

 bands and supply the rancliero with fresh stock. No large 

 horse could be reined up suddenly without damage to 

 himself or something else in some shape, and it is against 

 cavalry composed of such horses that light cavalrv is so 

 effective, and can be so annoying b}^ dashing to and from 

 them as the gad-fly does to the horse himself. Even in 

 single combat the small, light horse has the advantage in 

 being able to attack, rushing up, delivering a blow and 

 then retreating at full speed, and when his pursuer is 

 drawn out at full speed also, he turns short round and 

 lets the large horse, that can't stop suddenly, gallop on 

 to his rear. And where is the small horse by the time his 

 pursuer is turned round ? At his heels. 



