RESTIVENESS. 4-11 



true, that it may be taken as a kind of aphorism, that if a horse kicks once in 

 harness, no matter from what cause, he will he liable to kick ever afterwards 

 A good coachman may drive him, it is true, and may make him go, but he 

 cannot make him forget his vice ; and so it is in riding. You may conquer a 

 restive horse— you may make him go quiet for months, nay, almost for years 

 together ; but I affirm that, under other circumstances, and at some future 

 opportunity, he will be sure to return to his old tricks." 



Mr. Castley gives two singular and conclusive instances of the truth of this 

 doctrine. " When a very young man," says he, " I remember purchasing a horse 

 at a fair in the north of England, that was offered very cheap on account of his 

 being unmanageable. It was said that nobody eould ride him. We found that 

 the animal objected to have anything placed upon his back, and that, when made 

 to move forward with nothing more than a saddle on, he instantly threw him- 

 self down on his side with great violence, and would then endeavour to roll upon 

 his back. 



" There was at that time in Yorkshire, a famous colt-breaker, known by the 

 name of Jumper, who was almost as celebrated in that country for taming 

 vicious horses into submission, as the famed Whisperer was in Ireland. We 

 put this animal into Jumper's hands, who took him away, and in about ten days 

 brought him home again, certainly not looking worse in condition, but perfectly 

 subdued and almost as obedient as a dog ; for he would lie down at this man's 

 bidding, and only rise again at his command, and carry double or anything. I 

 took to riding him myself, and may say, that I was never better carried for six 

 or eight months, during which time he did not show the least vice whatever. 

 I then sold him to a Lincolnshire farmer, who said that he would give him a 

 summer's run at grass, and show him as a very fine horse at the great Horncastle 

 fair. 



" Happening to meet this gentleman on the following year, I naturally enough 

 inquired after my old friend. ' Oh,' said he, ' that was a bad business — the 

 horse turned out a sad rebel. The first time we attempted to mount him, after 

 getting him up from grass, he in an instant threw the man down with the great- 

 est violence, pitching him several yards over his head ; and after that he threw 

 every one that attempted to get on his back. If he could not throw his rider, 

 he would throw himself down. We could do nothing with him, and I was obliged 

 at last to sell him to go in a stage-coach.' " 



In the next story, Jumper's counterpart and superior, the Irish Whisperer, is 

 brought on the stage, and, although he performed wonders, he could not radically 

 cure a restive horse. " At the Spring Meeting of 1804, Mr. Whalley's Kino 

 Pippin was brought on the Curragh of Kildare to run. He was a horse of the most 

 extraordinary savage and vicious disposition. His particular propensity was that 

 of flying at and worrying any person who came within his reach, and if he had 

 an opportunity, he would get his head round, seize his rider by the leg with his 

 teeth, and drag him down from his back. For this reason he was always ridden 

 with what is called a sword ; which is a strong flat stick, having one end attached 

 to the cheek of the bridle, and the other to the girth of the saddle, a contrivance 

 to prevent a horse of this kind from getting at his rider. 



" King Pippin had long been difficult to manage and dangerous to go near to, 

 but on the occasion in question he could not be got out to run at all. Nobody 

 eould put the bridle upon his head. It being Easter Monday, and consequently 

 a great holiday, there was a large concourse of people assembled at the Curragh, 

 consisting principally of the neighbouring peasantry; and one countryman, 

 more fearless than the rest of the lookers-on, forgetting, or perhaps Dever dream- 

 ing that the better part of courage is discretion, volunteered his services to bridle 

 the horse. No sooner had he committed himself in this operation, than King 



