i82 HEAD AND NECK. 



becoming gradually deformed ; as it would not allow its owner, 

 a dealer in wild animals, or his assistants to handle it. In 

 less than an hour after I had turned it into the ring of Frank 

 Fillis's circus, which was then in Calcutta, I had its feet 

 rasped down to a proper level, and had it saddled and bridled 

 for the first time in its life. It was then ridden by Steve 

 Margarett (a brilliant Australian rough-rider) and by my wife. 

 Although I was able to quickly teach it to carry its unwonted 

 burden quietly, I made far less progress in giving it a 

 " mouth," during the two days I had it in hand, than I would 

 have done in half an hour with any wild Colonial horse 

 caught for the first time on a "run ;" the reason being that 

 the zebra's neck was so stiff and strong, that I was unable 

 to bend it in any direction, I soon taught it to do what I 

 wanted in the circus ; but when I rode it outside, it took me 

 wherever it liked. In fact, I had not the slightest power to 

 either stop or guide it. PI. 29 will show what a " bull-necked " 

 specimen it was. Some horses, like this striped ass, though 

 not to the same extent, are very stiff in the neck, a fact which 

 may be owing to an obstinate temper, bad breaking-in, or to 

 a thick and rigid condition of the muscles and joints of the 

 part. This natural want of flexibility may be overcome to a 

 great extent by judicious " bending," As it militates against 

 the ready turning and easy regulation of the paces of an 

 animal, it should be regarded as a grave defect of con- 

 formation in the saddle-horse and light trapper. It may, 

 however, be overlooked in the heavy cart-horse, whose nor- 

 mal pace being a walk, will not require to be as " supple " 

 (to use a riding school term) as an animal that has to go 

 at a faster pace, and whose line of progression, instead 

 of being along a more or less straight road, may be across 



