244 ^^z Scarlet and Silk 



interested in the work, but should possess 

 untiring patience and aptitude for studying 

 their peculiarities. Possessed of that patience, 

 there are very few equine puzzles to w^hich 

 you cannot discover the key. 



Entire horses are, of course, the most 

 " cranky " and self-willed ; though out of a 

 fairish number I have ridden, I must say that 

 they have given me very little trouble. The 

 worst was a great, handsome horse, bought in 

 France, which had had matters all his own 

 way for three months or so before he came 

 into my hands. He was "purely cussed," 

 and showed vice and temper for absolutely 

 nothing but the pleasure of getting his own 

 way. Naturally, the very first time I rode 

 him we had to fight it out. No compromise 

 was possible, and an exceedingly warm twenty 

 minutes ensued, but he was a very nice horse 

 afterwards. Mr. Chaplin's Broomielaw was 

 an awful brute, and w^ould come at any one 

 open-mouthed like a savage dog. He was 

 occasionally so bad that a cloth had to be 

 thrown over his head before his jockey could 



