THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 113 



satisfied with the fee given him, he goes about his task 

 in a much more methodical manner. The sling is 

 thrown gently over the neck of the designated steed, 

 but the latter is not thrown with the jerk to the ground. 

 He is allowed for a little while to prance about at the 

 full length of his tether, till his first fright be over. 

 Gradually the wild animal becomes reconciled to the 

 unwonted restraint, and the buyer leads him away 

 quietly to his stable, where it will often take a year's 

 tuition to cure him of the vicious habits acquired on 

 the Steppe. 



After saying so much of the tabunshick, it will be 

 but fair to give some account of the life led by the 

 riotous animals committed to his charge. During 

 what is called the fine season, from Easter to Octo- 

 ber, the taboon remains grazing day and night in the 

 Steppe. 



During the other six months of the year, the horses 

 remain under shelter at night, and are driven out only 

 in the day, when they must scrape away the snow for 

 themselves, to get at the scanty grass underneath. 

 When we say the horses remain under shelter, it must 

 not be supposed that the shelter in question resembles 

 in any way an English stable. The shelter alluded 

 to consists of a space of ground enclosed by an earth- 

 en mound, with now and then something like a roof 

 towards the north, to keep off the cold wind. There 

 the poor creatures must defend themselves, as well as 



