DISCRIMINATION. 207 



child could ride her with hounds. During the summer, 

 however, chiefly, I believe, from the extreme thinness 

 of her skin, she was so troublesome when flies were 

 about, that my wife most reluctantl}' consented to her 

 being sold. The first time the hounds met, I desired 

 a helper I had taken from a steeple-racing stable to 

 take the mare out, and mention my determination to 

 part with her. On his return, I found the mare spurred 

 from shoulder to flank. This I well knew she never 

 wanted. I asked no questions, but told the man he 

 should ffo at the end of the week. The next morn in 2: 

 I desired him to give her half an hour's walking ex- 

 ercise, and prepared to see it done. She was brought 

 out : with the greatest difficulty possible we held her 

 till he got up : she then set to plunging, bucking, and 

 kicking so violently, that, though a good horseman, 

 she sent him over her head, then lashed both heels at 

 him, and a narrow escape he had. Xothing we could 

 do could induce her to let him come near her again. 

 I put a friend then on her, but she sent him spinning 

 in a very short time. I then took off the saddle, 

 doubled a rug, put on a surcingle, and jumped on her : 

 she plunged and kicked till she was as if ridden 

 through a pond. 1 never even spoke harshly to her. 

 At last she got perfectly quiet ! I got off, had her 

 dressed, and brought out again saddled ; she carried 

 me as quietly as ever ; but the moment the man ap- 

 proached her, she began again. I then put a boy up 

 who was accustomed to ride her at exercise ; she 

 carried him with perfect good temper. I tried her 

 several days afterwards, but she would carry no one 

 but me and the boy : my wife, as a matter of curiosity, 

 desired her saddle to be put on. I saw the mare meant 

 well; so my wife got up : the poor mare went just as 



