Mr. Digby Collins 



She arrived on the following day at my station, and sub- 

 mitted to be led to my stables quietly, and was not as lame as 

 I expected. 



During the six weeks following her arrival her injured 

 leg was under treatment, and all that I knew about her 

 disposition was that it was perfect in the stable. 



At the expiration of this period all lameness had dis- 

 appeared, and her leg was fining down rapidly ; so I had her 

 led out for two hours daily alongside of a pony, with orders 

 to trot up all hills, and to walk both downhill and on the flat, 

 and, as long as her head was in front of her companion, she 

 was quite satisfied. 



This exercise was continued about one month, and as a 

 month of exercise and six weeks of rest had removed all traces 

 of the injury, I determined to mount her ; but, remembering 

 the warning given me, I took the precaution of having her 

 led down to a sound and flat field, bounded by a high and 

 strong bullfinch. 



Two of the strongest and most active lads in my service 

 endeavoured to hold her while I vaulted into the saddle. 

 Plunging violently forwards, immediately she felt I was on the 

 saddle, she knocked both of the men down, and went off at 

 top speed before I could get fairly hold of the reins. 



However, she, happily, allowed me to guide her ; but no 

 attempts to lessen her speed were of the slightest avail, and, 

 unless she slipped up at the corners, it seemed probable that 

 she would never stop until she dropped. 



Fortunately for me, I had a pair of full-sized and heavy 

 stirrups, and my foot caught one of them just as she knocked 

 the men over ; but the other was swinging until her pace 

 slackened slightly, and I turned her head, at an acute 

 angle, into the bullfinch, which brought her to a full stop — 



149 



