THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



the English blooded ponies in point of speed, but they are quite 

 capable, if properly handled, of running the Giraffe or any of the 

 larger antelopes to a standrStill, the Tsessebe and cornmon Harte- 

 beest excepted. It is, however, in their sureness of foot that they 

 excel beyond conception, only to be realised by those who have 

 witnessed one of these ponies, mounted by a great fat Boer of 

 over sixteen stone in weight, gallop at full speed either across a 

 bit of country one network in every direction of ant-bear, meer- 

 cat, and jackal burrows, or down the steep decline of a stony hill. 



Anyone unable, on account of the price, or unwilling to undergo 

 the risk of being swindled in purchasing salted horses, is strongly 

 recommended to run the chance of horse sickness, and to acquire 

 unsalted ponies of the Basuto breed. They may be obtained in 

 Basutoland, the Orange Free State, or on the public market at 

 Kimberley, at prices ranging from £io to ;^20. Except when 

 constantly driven in harness, it is unusual and quite unnecessary 

 to have a Basuto pony shod, as the hoof is naturally hard and quite 

 capable of resisting the ordinary wear of the most rugged and stony 

 countries. In all cases, no matter what the breed, the shoes of 

 every horse should be taken off before starting for the Interior. 



Speed and endurance are, of course, necessary in the shooting 

 horse, but these, if unaccompanied by proper training, are in them- 

 selves alone of very little value. Novices in making a purchase are, 

 as a rule, quite satisfied if a horse will stand still on a shot being 

 fired from its back ; but although this may often be a point of 

 necessity in case of encounters with Lions or other dangerous 

 animals, it is only a secondary consideration, as no experienced 

 hunter will ever fire when on horseback at running game, unless 

 galloping actually broadside and close on to it. It is a matter of 

 far greater moment and importance to possess an animal that will 

 permit its rider when dismounted and standing beside its head, to 

 let off repeated shots without attempting to run away. Of the 

 several devices used in riding a horse with bolting tendencies, that 

 usually adopted, when dismounted, and before firing, is to merely 

 throw the reins right forward over the horse's head, and insert the 

 right arm through the loop. This, no doubt, is a very simple plan, 

 but there are obvious drawbacks to it, as it frequently happens that, 

 whilst a horse may not actually attempt to run away, he may, from 

 sheer nervousness of disposition, and just at the critical moment 

 when its rider is about drawing on the trigger, start tugging on the 



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