198 THE HORSE AND HIS KIDEK, 



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 Peni 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 

 thumb, taken at full gallop across a court-yard, and- 

 then made to wheel round the post of a verandah 

 with great speed, but at so equal a distance, that the 

 rider, with outstretched arm all the while, kept one 

 finger rubbing the post ; then making a demivolte in 

 the air, with the other arm outstretched in a like 

 manner, he wheeled round with astonishing force in 

 an opposite direction. 



" Such a horse is well broken, and though this at 

 first may appear useless, it is far otherwise : it is only 

 carrying that which is daily necessary into perfection. 

 When a bullock is checked and caught by the lasso, 

 it will sometimes gallop round and round in a circle, 

 and the horse being alarmed at the great strain, if not 

 well broken, will not readily turn like the pivot of a 



