ON RIDING A FLIGHTY HORSE, ETC. 271 



easily alarmed, either in or out of the stables. There 

 is nothing to be done with such a horse,, but by the 

 kindest and most gentle treatment, which I shall more 

 accurately describe when on the subject of training 

 such horses. 



To bring the boy to ride a horse of the above de 

 scription properly, the groom in giving his instructions_ 

 seems to make a confidant of him, and commences his 

 conversation in the plural number. He says, — " We 

 must mind, boy, what we are about with this horse, or 

 we shall have him lose his temper, and if he does, 

 neither you nor I will be able to do any thing with 

 him. You must, therefore, be very quiet on him, and 

 go with him by yourself to such a part of the downs 

 (naming a part well known to the boy). When you 

 get there, let him do just what he likes, it being a 

 strange place to him. If he chooses to stand and look 

 about, let him do so ; you can at the same time speak 

 kindly to him, and make much of him by patting him 

 on the neck until he moves on of his own accord. If 

 you manage him in this way, he will not be frightened 

 at you ; but if you and he agree tolerably well, he may 

 now and then be a little calfish ; and if he should, you 

 must not pull rashly at him, but only just sufficient 

 to keep his head up. But whatever you do, never 

 attempt to hit him ; for if you do, it is all over, and we 

 shall never after get any good of him." 



Pursuing his remarks, the groom says, — " You must 

 not attempt to give him a gallop, until you know him 

 well, and unless you think he is rather inclined of him- 



