228 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



resolute nature, added to his known determina- 

 tion to succeed at any cost in every task he under- 

 took to accomplish, are borne in mind. Ordered 

 to train the prince into a skilful horseman, he had 

 at once set to work to do it to the best of his 

 ability. 



Some say that as a boy Prince Charlie looked, 

 when in the saddle, as if he had been born there, 

 and through life this natural seat upon a horse 

 stood him in good stead. 



In addition to being a graceful rider, he had 

 a very strong seat, so that presumably he pos- 

 sessed the precious gift that to-day we call 

 " hands." 



An eighteenth-century writer, who appears 

 to have had access to private manuscripts or 

 documents to do with King Charles II.'s 

 private life, avers that the king never, as we 

 should express it, pulled a horse about. Even 

 tempered with his horses, he seldom or never 

 ill-treated them. They appeared to respond 

 instinctively to his every touch, to understand 

 what he meant by the varying inflection in his 

 voice, and to divine, as if by magic, what their 

 master wished them to do. Also he never out- 

 rode a horse under any circumstances never, as 

 we should say, rode a horse off its legs. 



He preferred long stirrup leathers to short, but 

 then in his day most men did. 



Also it is said of him that he never would look 



