SOME CURIOUS HORSES 257 



and infantry, taking points, and doing everything 

 that pertains to a staff officer's duties ; and no 

 horse could have done better or been more thoroughly 

 steady. 



At the end of the manoeuvres I returned him to 

 my friend with many thanks, and he very soon 

 sold him as a broke charger for a long price. 



Shortly after this I was dining with my friend 

 at the mess of his regiment, and, after dinner, in 

 the ante-room, I happened to remark to an officer, 

 " What a very good riding-master and staff they 

 must have to break in so young a horse so tho- 

 roughly." He looked rather amused, and replied, 

 " I suppose you refer to Red Rover ? " (the name 

 of the horse). I said, " Yes." " Well," he an- 

 swered, " you broke him ! " I was, of course, 

 greatly surprised, but found it was actually the 

 case. The horse had never been ridden with troops 

 until he was lent to me, and I feel not the slightest 

 doubt that it was the fact of his being on that 

 dangerous piece of ground, and my having my feet 

 and hands both loose when the gun was fired so 

 unexpectedly, that gave him confidence. I could 

 not have influenced him in the slightest degree. 

 Of course, if I had been on ordinary ground, and 

 had seen that a gun was going to be fired, I should, 

 naturally enough, have slightly tightened the reins 



