Hard Riding in California 357 



a full share of experiences covering many years, 

 including a circus-like somersault with my 

 horse, and several minor extravaganzas, I can 

 say that the so-called California hard, or rough 

 riding, is not so dangerous as it looks. The 

 horses are merely habituated to a rough coun- 

 try, and carry you over it safely if you wish to 

 try the experiment. 



In the old days on all the California ranches 

 the cattle would get away and take to the hush, 

 an impenetrable trap, which on the slope of a 

 mountain was demoralizing to a rider or horse 

 who did not understand it. I once started up 

 an alleged trail on a branch of the Sierras. 

 There had been a trail, there was no question 

 about that, but it had been unused for years, 

 and after half an hour of it I was literally swept 

 from the saddle. Having a horse who would 

 submit to the indignity, I took him by the tail 

 and we butted through the bush for a long dis- 

 tance, finally reaching the summit that looked 

 down into deep caiions on every side. To avoid 

 this on the return, some hours later, I rode down 

 what appeared to be an inviting divide w r here 

 there was a wolf trail. This took me into a 

 burnt-over district of Adenostoma or grease- 

 wood; a bush about six feet high of steel-like 

 consistence. My heavy saddle and leathers were 

 some protection, but as the horse pushed a black 

 branch to one side, it sprang back at me with 



