THE HORSE ON A JOURNEY 157 



which is called ' darniDg.' It is effected by filling up a part 

 somewhat lower than the general surface b}^ broken pieces 

 of granite, left to be crushed by the wheels of carriaf^es, 

 while the old, smooth road forms the general surface. The 

 substratum of ground is not picked up, but is left hard, and 

 four or five-cornered pieces of stone are left to be trodden 

 on by the first or any horse that is obliged to go over 

 them. The hardness of the under surface prevents their 

 sinking with any weight on them, so a horse might as 

 well tread on an iron peg fixed and left an inch or two 



Let the rider, above all abominations as to ground, avoid 

 a piece that has been thus ' darned ' ; for unless the sole of 

 his horse's foot is as hard as the granite itself, the chances 

 are, if he is not exceedingly on the alert and quick on his 

 legs, that he comes on his nose, though on all other occasions 

 as safe as a cat on a carpet. Not to wince from the pain 

 the pressure on such a surface occasions is impossible ; and 

 if after doing so he keeps on his legs, all the credit he gets 

 is being accused of having made a stumble, and perhaps a 

 blow is the reward he gets for his activity in not, as a dull 

 horse would have done, coming down headlong. 



One of these ' darned ' roads led, while I and a friend 

 were out together, to a conversation on stumbling. On his 

 horse making a false step, he gave him a stroke with his 

 stick, and in a somewhat stentorian voice bade him ' hold 

 up.' Whether my friend did this to show how resolute 

 a horseman he had become, and his proficiency in stable 

 terms, or thought that what he did would prevent his horse 

 wincing when hurt, I know not ; but it set him curvetting 

 about in a way that would ensure his not being struck 

 while he continued doing so ; for my friend had occasion 

 for all the hands he had for his bridle, and would have 

 wanted a third if he v/ished to strike his horse. 



Let the rider call to his reflection the causes of stumbling, 

 says our author ; he will then judge how far correction will 

 remedy these. The usual causes are infirmity, peculiar 

 formation, gait, indolence, and bad roads. 



If he blunders from weakness or infirmity, a blow with 

 the stick will not render the infirmity less. Keeping such 

 a horse a little on his mettle will in many cases make him 

 go safely to a certain extent ; that is, it may, by preventing 

 him dwelling long on either weak limb, also prevent it 



