MODE OF TAMING AND BREAKING-IN HORSES. 377 
looking horse, which I was given to understand belonged to the 
Marquis of Titchfield. The animal had been turned loose with 
his saddle and bridle on, and to me had the appearance of being 
frightened ; and yet he stood still ; when all of a sudden, and to 
me quite unexpectedly, though not so, perhaps, to him, was cast 
at him a white-looking ball, about the size of a small orange, beset 
with sharp spikes. The ball struck him forcibly on the muzzle, 
but, to my astonishment, produced no other effect upon him than 
a chucking up and down of his head. Tt afterwards appeared that 
this ball had been thrown merely by way of a reminder, he having 
in previous lessons been taught the use of the pricking projectile. 
Standing, however, in the position the animal was, with his limbs 
stretched apart, and gazing with a wild and watchful stare about 
him, it was manifest to everybody looking at him that he awaited 
but the opportunity to make his escape out of the beleaguered circle. 
At length he discovered an opening, and past his sentinels he 
boldly rushed, and round the school he galloped, pursued by M. 
Leonard, and his aids-de-manege, pelting, all of them, the runaway 
animal with all their might and main, with the spiked balls, with 
which it appeared they had had their hands and pockets liberally 
charged beforehand. The faster the horse galloped, the more he 
got pelted ; the more he was pelted, the more he got frightened ; 
until at last, strange to say, fright absolutely drove him once more, 
as into a place of refuge, into the hated circle. And there he 
stood, panting from fear and exertion, agitated over his whole 
frame, and looking — pauvre miserable ! — any thing but an object 
for further punishment and intimidation. 
I was now desirous — indeed I had hardly had an opportunity 
before — of examining the punitory missiles which had achieved 
such extraordinary submission and resignation. I found them to 
be wooden balls, through the substance of which had been driven 
iron spikes or pins, whose points, as sharp as spur rowels, 
projected from an eighth to a quarter of an inch from the surface 
of the ball. Upon one ball I reckoned thirty-two spikes. The 
balls, in fact, resembled, more than any other thing I can compare 
them to, horse-chestnuts with their prickly capsules on. 
To return to the scholar of this ruthless schoolmaster : any fresh 
break away he essayed to make, while M. Leonard and his assistants 
were walking and talking around him, was at once met by a prickly 
projectile ; and the part aimed at on such occasions as this, while 
he stood quiet enough for aim to be taken, was invariably his 
muzzle, that being the most sensitive external part : whenever 
he had once broke, however, and got to galloping about the school, 
shots were fired thick and fast at every or any part, the object 
VOL. XIX. 3 F 
