94 RIDING, DRIVING AND KINDRED SPORTS 



do at any price, as it is almost impossible to 

 enjoy oneself on their backs. First the reso- 

 lute, bull-headed puller, with a neck, like steel 

 and a mouth like leather, a horse in fact of the 

 Multum-in-parvo style. Some horses of this 

 kind can be reduced to reason by constant work 

 and careful feeding. It is of course true that 

 you may break such a horse down in the pro- 

 cess, but it will be confessed that he is no use 

 unless he can be subdued, and therefore the 

 result is worth the risk. Horses with thick 

 necks and a short rein should always be 

 avoided. Almost, if not quite as bad, is the 

 nervous, excitable, light-mouthed horse, which 

 will neither stand being pulled at nor yet 

 give in. I have had two of this sort — a 

 polo pony, good to look at and a charming- 

 hack and a capital tandem leader, but which 

 went clean off his head in a ofame so that 

 nobody could do anything with him ; and a 

 hunter mare which I could just hold in 

 a Mohawk bit, but which went comfortably 

 in no kind of bit and with no sort of rider. I 

 thought perhaps it was my own fault, but there 

 was the 5ame trouble with several much better 

 horsemen, and she was at last sold by auction. 

 This mare was a charming hack, but of so 

 wildly excitable a nature, and yet with so light 

 a mouth withal, that she was thoroughly un- 



