A MATCH FOR THE OLD GENTLEMAN. 399 



sale to some other gentleman who wants a particular 

 steady horse for harness ; and Jem substantiating his 

 own words that he would and could drive the devil. 



It is not merely in such places as I have represented 

 that it is sometimes convenient to make a horse ap- 

 pear likely to be troublesome to break, either to drive 

 or ride: those gentlemen yclept horse -breakers are 

 quite awake to the trick, whether employed at a 

 repository or elsewhere. Horses are broken usually 

 for a certain sum, sometimes by the lesson. Now, if 

 it is seen that a horse is likely to be easily broken, the 

 owner, after a couple of lessons, would think that a 

 little practice arid gentle usage would render him all 

 he wanted : this would not do for the breaker's purpose; 

 so, as in the other case, he must be made trouble- 

 some : and should a specified sum be agreed upon 

 before he is tried, the more violent he is made ap- 

 pear at first, the greater merit in the breaker in 

 making him steady : so he gains the same vaunted 

 character as Jem for devil driving. 



There is another little item or two on the profit 

 side of the question to be remembered. If a horse 

 loses flesh while breaking, it may be attributed to his 

 own violence and temper ; so it is not the usual cus- 

 tom of these gentry to pamper him with too great an 

 allowance of oats of 40 Ib. the bushel, so they make the 

 livery profit very like 10s. per week. Then it is quite 

 right young ones should be used to crowds ; so, 

 after a horse is quite tractable, many a half-crown 

 is made by mounting or driving (some one they can 

 trust with the secret) to a fight or a fair. If the owner 

 sees it, the breaker has had him there to make him 

 quite steady before he leaves his hands ! 



Let me tell owners another thing. In some repo- 



