TAMING HORSES. 53 



Now, any person who may in the least doubt of his 

 own capacity to perform the operation, according 

 to the rules laid down here, can always have a 

 halter, or what the Spaniards call a jaguima, 

 (which is generally used in riding young horses, 

 before the bridle is put on them,) put upon the 

 wild horse, before he is let loose, with a long rope 

 tied to it, dragging upon the ground. When he 

 goes in to the horse thus haltered, he will take care 

 to take the rope up gently in one hand, whilst he 

 holds out the other ; taking care that the rope may 

 keep clear of all his feet, and lie before him, 

 gathering it up as he approaches. Another pre- 

 caution may likewise be used, by 23ersons naturally 

 afraid of horses, which is : to have a barrier placed 

 between them and the horse, and the end of the 

 rope on the side they stand, which they may take 

 hold of, and jDroceed as above directed. The bar- 

 rier, if made use of, must be open enough for the 

 horse to have a full view of the person who is 

 going to break him. It is always a considerable 

 inconvenience; but, it has this advantage : it places 

 the most timid out of the reach of all the harm he 

 might fear from horses of this description, till he 

 can handle their head, which is already a great 

 point; but, as one can handle but a small part of 

 the horse, in this manner, it is necessary to go in 



to him afterwards, when he is thus a little famili- 

 5* 



