VIII 
HORSEMANSHIP IN CHILE 
163 
Then making a demi-volte in the air, with the other arm out¬ 
stretched in a like manner, he wheeled round, with astonishing 
force, in an opposite direction. 
Such a horse is well broken ; and although this at first may 
appear useless, it is far otherwise. It is only carrying that 
which is daily necessary into perfection. When a bullock is 
checked and caught by the lazo, it will sometimes gallop round 
and round in a circle, and the horse being alarmed at the great 
strain, if not well broken, will not readily turn like the pivot 
of a wheel. In consequence many men have been killed ; for 
if the lazo once takes a twist round a man’s body, it will 
instantly, from the power of the two opposed animals, almost cut 
him in twain. On the same principle the races are managed ; 
the course is only two or three hundred yards long, the wish 
being to have horses that can make a rapid dash. The race¬ 
horses are trained not only to stand with their hoofs touching a 
line, but to draw all four feet together, so as at the first spring 
to bring into play the full action of the hind-quarters. In Chile 
I was told an anecdote, which I believe was true ; and it offers 
a good illustration of the use of a well-broken animal. A 
respectable man riding one day met two others, one of whom was 
mounted on a horse, which he knew to have been stolen from 
himself. He challenged them ; they answered him by drawing 
their sabres and giving chase. The man, on his good and fleet 
beast, kept just ahead : as he passed a thick bush he wheeled 
round it, and brought up his horse to a dead check. The 
pursuers were obliged to shoot on one side and ahead. Then 
instantly dashing on, right behind them, he buried his knife in 
the back of one, wounded the other, recovered his horse 
from the dying robber, and rode home. For these feats of 
horsemanship two things are necessary : a most severe bit, like 
the Mameluke, the power of which, though seldom used, the 
horse knows full well ; and large blunt spurs, that can be 
applied either as a mere touch, or as an instrument of extreme 
pain. I conceive that with English spurs, the slightest touch 
of which pricks the skin, it would be impossible to break in a 
horse after the South American fashion. 
At an estancia near Las Vacas large numbers of mares are 
weekly slaughtered for the sake of their hides, although worth 
only five paper dollars, or about half-a-crown apiece. It seems 
