74 THE SHIKARI 



stopped, and, above all, will stand when dropped 

 without being held or tied up.^ 



Such a pony can be secured in most shooting 

 countries where game is hunted on horseback, and 

 should be compact in build, sturdy, and of good 

 wind. 



An amusing incident of mounting and dismounting 

 quickly and easily occurred whilst the author and a 

 friend were shooting ostriches in a remote district. 



A couple had been ridden within shot and wounded, 

 and were again getting rapidly out of range, so one 

 of us said, " Drop shooting and let us ride them down," 

 whereat we ran for our horses, which were standing 

 only a few yards off. 



S. was the quicker of the two, and putting his foot 

 in the stirrup, sprang into the saddle, missed his grip, 

 overbalanced, and landed right into a thorny bush, so 

 that what with one swearing and the other laughing, 

 neither could mount for some time, and when we did 

 get again on the move both the birds had disappeared. 



Never cut the mane and tail, as they are the only 

 means of keeping off the innumerable flies. 



If good in the mouth, which it should be, bit it with 



' If the mount cannot be trusted to stand, hold the lead in the 

 hand with the reins, as is always done in South America, instead 

 of tying it round the neck, so that in dismounting it can be kept 

 in the hand or tied to some convenient place in a minimum of 

 time. It should be of sufficient length to allow the sportsman to 

 get a short way ahead of the pony, as shots fired immediately 

 under its nose tend to make it more nervous. 



