2 1 2 Among Men and Horses 



and was working for the rich firm of Caseres. I went two 

 or three times to Palmer's Green where he was staying, and 

 took a careful survey of his horses. They were for the most 

 part, fairly strong, under-bred animals, averaging about 14.3 

 high. They had good bone and sufficient substance ; but 

 had plain heads and a tendency to be goose-rumped. 

 Although they were well suited to light cart work, they 

 did not fetch at auction more than about £14 apiece ; for 

 they were almost all unbroken and could not be handled by 

 the ordinary run of men with safety. People in England 

 have a horror — and small blame to them— of wild brutes that 

 try to knock the brains out of anyone rash enough to come 

 within reach of their hind or fore feet ; and will, conse- 

 quently, give but very small prices for horses fresh off the 

 scrub, pampas, or veldt. In England, above all places, manners 

 make the horse. The South American half breeds whom 

 Kincrsland brought over to look after the horses, did not 

 seem a very capable lot. Had he had rough riders like my 

 Australian friends, Doolan, Steve Margarett, Alfred Praetz, 

 or M'Cracken, they would have put the animals straight in a 

 very short time. In such a case, the employment of quick 

 methods of breaking means the saving of time and money. 

 For instance, I would engage, with the help of two good 

 assistants, to make in a fortnight (I might almost say in a 

 week), a hundred such horses, quiet to handle and capable of 

 being ridden about by a lady. They are the type of the use- 

 ful, medium-sized horse which would suit the Indian cavalry, 

 and other purposes in which ' plainness ' might be com- 

 pensated for cheapness. The question of their importation to 

 India is entirely one of freight, which I believe would be 

 higher between Buenos Ayres and Calcutta, than between 

 Melbourne and Calcutta. 



I may anticipate events a little by saying that since 

 that time Kingsland, in later shipments, has brought over 

 horses of much improved class, and has consequently 

 obtained a proportionately enhanced average. The last I 



