HORSE-TAMING AND BREAKING 205 



fore-legs ; instantly the horse rolls over with a heavy 

 shock, and, whilst struggling on the ground, the 

 Guacho, holding the lasso tight, makes a circle, so as 

 to catch one of the hind-legs just beneath the fetlock, 

 and draws it close to the two front ; he then hitches 

 the lasso, so that the three legs are bound together ; 

 then, sitting on the horse's neck, he fixes a strong 

 bridle without a bit to the lower jaw; this he does 

 by passing a narrow thong through the eyeholes at 

 the end of the reins, and several times round both 

 jaw and tongue. The two front legs are now tied 

 closely together with a strong leather thong fastened 

 by a slip-knot, the lasso Avhich bound the three legs 

 together being then loosed ; the horse then rises with 

 difficulty. The Guacho, now holding fast the bridle 

 fixed to the lower jaw, leads the horse outside the 

 corral. If a second man is present (otherwise the 

 trouble is much greater) he holds the animal's head 

 whilst the other puts on the horse-cloths and saddle, 

 and girths the whole together. During this opera- 

 tion the horse, from dread and astonishment at being 

 thus bound round the waist, throws himself over and 

 over again on the ground, and, till beaten, is unwill- 

 ing to rise. At last, when the saddling is finished, 

 the poor animal can hardly breathe from, fear, and is 

 white with foam and sweat. The man now prepares 

 to mount by pressing heavily on the stirrup, so that 

 the horse may not lose its balance ; and at the 

 moment he throws his leg over the animal's back he 



