his charger in the service of the state to the present day there is a 

 close link between every farm boy or man and his pony or pair. 



In the rounding up of cattle, on shooting expeditions, on long 

 jouruej's over bad roads, on pleasure rides and even on the war 

 path these same ponies are the inseparable and trusty friends of the 

 South African. 



The methods of breaking in young horses are unique. The 

 foals are never meddled with and grow iip in all the freedom and 

 wild glory of foalhood until the third or fourth year when they 

 meet their master to whose will they ultimately give way with that 

 fidelity and willingness which has endeared the horse to man forever. 



That excellent horseman, Captain Hayes, gives a very accurate 

 description of the method. "The way in which horses are broken 

 to saddle in South Africa is one which I have never seen practised 

 in any other country. It is charmingly simple and has its good 

 points as well as its bad ones. It consi-sts in tying the head of the 

 neophj^e close up to that of a steady horse by means of a cord 

 connecting the respective headstalls worn by the animals. After 

 they have been both bridled and saddled the "schoolmaster" is 

 first mounted and then another man gets on the young one who is 

 powerless to buck or bolt on account of his head being fixed 1o that 

 of the steady "schoolmaster." Besides this the fact of his being 

 alongside another horse gives him confidence and no matter how 

 wild he may be he will learn in a short time to carry his burden 

 and regulate his pa^e aerording to that of his companion. As he 

 settles down to work th(> connecting cord may gradually be loos- 

 ened out until at last it can be taken off altogetlier. This is a 

 capital plan if one has a good break-horse and if no better way is 

 knovm. ' '^^ 



"The saddles used are wide towards the center and have a 

 good dip in them * * * ■■ tlie weight is sometimes very great and 

 they are clumsy affairs. Riding is altogether different in South 

 Africa as it is in Australia, Canada or America. The country is 

 clear and open and jumping of necessity falls away. The "achter- 

 ryder" has his proteges in the syce, mafoo or bettoe of India, 

 China or Japan. Burchell wJien travelling in South Africa in 1820- 

 22 also remarked upon this custom. The " achterryder " is an 

 accompanying orderly or groom, who is to take care of the horses 

 (12) Captain M. B. Hayes. "Among Horses in South Africa.'. 1900. 



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