210 . THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



a Gaucho riding a very stubborn horse, which three 

 times reared so excessively high as to fall backwards 

 with great violence. The man judged with uncom- 

 mon coolness the proper moment for slipping off, not 

 an instant before or after the right time. Directly 

 the horse rose, the man jumped on his back, and at 

 last they started at a gallop. The Gaucho never ap- 

 pears to exert any muscular force. I was one day 

 watching a good rider, as we were gallopping along at 

 a rapid pace, and thought to myself, surely if the 

 horse starts, you appear so careless on your seat, you 

 must fall. At this moment a male ostrich sprang 

 from its nest right beneath the horse's nose. The 

 young colt bounded on one side like a stag ; but as 

 for the man, all that could be said was, that he started 

 and took fright as part of his horse. 



" In Chili and Peru more pains are taken with 

 the mouth of the horse than in La Plata, and this is 

 evidently in consequence of the more intricate nature 

 of the country. In Chili, a horse is not considered 

 perfectly broken till he can be brought up standing, 

 in the midst of his full speed, on any particular spot; 

 for instance, on a cloak thrown on the ground; or 

 until he will charge a wall, and, rearing, scrape the 

 surface with his hoofs. I have seen an animal bound- 

 ing with spirit, yet merely reined by a fore-finger and 



