N A T U I! A L II I S TOR Y of N R W AY. 



mare ; fo that there are nothing ufed but ftone-h or fes. The 

 reafon is, that there are no coach-roads fit for horfes to draw in 

 yoked ; but all that comes to town by land, is brought in pack'd 

 upon the horfes back, and the peafants drive two, three, or four 

 at a time before rhem, as in other places they do aff@s. Were As the )' d r °„ in 

 theie loaded horfes to meet with mares, there would be felw where* 

 quently miichief ; as it is managed, the horfe-man muft takeSrli" 

 great care, and fit faft in the faddie, for when thefe horfes meet 

 in the narrow roads, they feldom pafs without a fignal of 

 animofity. 



The Norway horfes are better for riding than drawing ; their 

 walk is eafy ; they go dancing along, aad they are always full 

 of fpirit ; they are very fure-footed, a circumftance highly 

 neceffary in thefe bad roads- The fine Danifh horfes could not 

 go in them, without hazarding their own lives and their Riders. 



When they go up and down a fteep cliff on ftones like fteps, 

 they firft tread gently with one foot, to try if the ftone they 

 touch is faft ; and in this they muft be left to their own manage- 

 ment, or the beft rider that is will run the rifque of his neck : 

 when they are to go down a very fteep and flippery place, they, 

 in a furprifing manner, draw their hind legs together under them 

 and Aide down. 



They fhow a great deal of courage when they fight with the 

 wolves and bears, which they are oft obliged to do, particularly 

 the latter ; for when the horfe perceives any of them near, and 

 has a mare or gelding with him, he puts the weaker behind 

 him, and attacks his antagonift with his fore-legs, which he ufes 

 like drumfticks to ftrike withal j and comes off ufually the 

 conqueror. 



Many of the people of fafhion would not believe this, till 

 ftadtholder Wibe, in king Frederic the fourth's prefence, made 

 the experiment, with one of his coach-horfes, at Frederidberg. 

 This creature fell upon a bear let loofe againft him, and laid him 

 prefently dead : but fometimes the bear, who has double ftrength, 

 gets the advantage, and efpecially if the horfe happens to turn 

 about to kick with his hind-legs. If he attempts this he is 

 ruined ; for the bear inftantly leaps upon him, and fixes him- 

 felf on his back : i n this cafe he gallops off with his angry rider, 

 till by lofs of blood he drops down. 



SECT. II. 



