170 A VERY SENSIBLE MARE. 



that looked unusually big and thick. I could always 

 tell a hundred yards before I came to it if she was 

 frightened. In this case I just took a gentle pull at 

 her, spoke to her, or gave her a pat on the neck, and 

 over she went to a certainty. " Instead of this," 

 but touch her with a spur, she would stop dead, and 

 kick a town down. For this reason I never rode her 

 with spurs. This is, however, a case of rare occur- 

 rence, though some race-horses will do nothing if they 

 know you have spurs on, and are forced to be ridden 

 without. The mare I allude to had several times 

 sent her late master over her head : she was always a 

 little fidgety on being mounted; but after I had 

 given her a gentle kick or two with my heels, and 

 she found no spurs were in the case, she became 

 perfectly quiet, and one of the pleasantest hunters 

 living. 



Spurs are at times to be made the means of assist- 

 ing a horse, in deep ground particularly : bring your 

 horse's nose a little closer to his chest, touch him 

 lightly with the spurs, and he collects himself directly, 

 shortens his stride, and gets through dirt with half 

 the labour he would otherwise do. In short, spurs, 

 judiciously used, are a hint to a horse as to what we 

 want him to do, a means of making him do it, and a 

 very proper and severe punishment when he refuses 

 to do this, or at all events to try. But as I think 

 we ought not to wish him to go when in a state unfit 

 to go, though I do not presume to dictate to others, 

 I shall continue my old practice of keeping my spurs 

 quiet just when many others begin making the most 

 use of theirs. I may be wrong, but I am sure my 

 horses have never thought so ; and as I always make 

 them do what is right to please me, I think it but fair 



