TAMING HORSES. 51 



useful lesson into my head. From that day for- 

 ward, I have never received the slightest hurt, or 

 even run any risk, in breaking some of the fiercest 

 and most ferocious horses of New Spain. But to 

 come to the point. Hold out your left hand, keep- 

 ing it high enough to touch him upon the forehead : 

 keep this position for at least one whole hour, 

 lowering your hand now and then, unless the horse 

 should advance, after ten or fifteen minutes, a step 

 or two towards you ; in which case, let your hand 

 be ready to meet his forehead, rather higher up 

 than in the other two kinds of horses ; and, if he 

 should appear uneasy, repeat the strokes very fast 

 between his eyes, fetching your hand partly over 

 them now and then. Your position, at first, ought 

 to be exactly before him. 1 hen, by degrees, fall 

 off towards the left side. Never flinch, or show 

 any signs of fear, when you are gentling this kind 

 of horses. You must remain a great deal longer 

 about their heads, than in others. They will often 

 flinch, and frequently show signs of resistance, 

 whenever you advance an inch from the place you 

 have already handled; so tiiat it requires some 

 judgment, and more patience, to know how to 

 manage them. But, by going on, after you have 

 once touched them, as you would do with the other 

 two classes, though a great deal slower, you will 

 never fail of making them as gentle as a lamb. I 



