most powerful bridle can be of any service.
Animals are so abundant in these countries, that humanity and
self-interest are not closely united; therefore I fear it is that the
former is here scarcely known. One day, riding in the Pampas with a
very respectable "estanciero," my horse, being tired, lagged behind.
The man often shouted to me to spur him. When I remonstrated that it
was a pity, for the horse was quite exhausted, he cried out, "Why
not?--never mind--spur him--it is my horse." I had then some difficulty
in making him comprehend that it was for the horse's sake, and not on
his account, that I did not choose to use my spurs. He exclaimed, with
a look of great surprise, "Ah, Don Carlos, que cosa!" It was clear that
such an idea had never before entered his head.
The Gauchos are well known to be perfect riders. The idea of being
thrown, let the horse do what it likes; never enters their head. Their
criterion of a good rider is, a man who can manage an untamed colt, or
who, if his horse falls, alights on his own feet, or can perform other
such exploits. I have heard of a man betting that he would throw his
horse down twenty times, and that nineteen times he would not fall
himself. I recollect seeing a Gaucho riding a very stubborn horse,
which three times successively reared so high as to fall backwards with
great violence. The man judged with uncommon coolness the proper
moment for slipping off, not an instant before or after the right time;
and as soon as the horse got up, the man jumped on his back, and at
last they started at a gallop. The Gaucho never appears to exert any
muscular force. I was one day watching a good rider, as we were
galloping along at a rapid pace, and thought to myself, "Surely if the
horse starts, you appear so careless on your seat, you must fall." At
this moment, a male ostrich sprang from its nest right beneath the
horse's nose: the young colt bounded on one side like a stag; but as
for the man, all that could be said was, that he started and took
fright with his horse.
In Chile and Peru more pains are taken with the mouth of the horse than
in La Plata, and this is evidently a consequence of the more intricate
nature of the country. In Chile a horse is not considered perfectly
broken, till he can be brought up standing, in the midst of his full
speed, on any particular spot,--for instance, on a cloak thrown on the
ground: or, again, he will charge a wall, and rearing, scrape the
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