y with such spoiled horses. I remember a very violent animal in
Pretoria which showed resentment in this respect by rushing at me after
I had dismounted, simply because I endeavoured to pat and say a kind
word to him. I have no doubt that he would have accepted my well-meant
advances if we had had time to mutually understand each other. A show
jumper named Mons Meg was so terrified of the man who used to ride her
that, on hearing his voice, even from a distance, she would break out in
a perspiration and stand trembling with terror. The mare was really so
kind that we had her for a time at Ward's Riding School, and she was
ridden without reins over jumps by several of our pupils. I took her to
ride in a jumping competition at the Agricultural Hall; but,
unfortunately, the rider she disliked came to her stall and spoke to
her, with the usual result, and when I got on her back she was violently
agitated, and refused the second fence, which was a gate. At one moment
it seemed as though she would have brought us both to grief, for she
tried to jump out of the ring among the people--a feat, I was afterwards
told, she had performed on more than one occasion. She would always jump
kindly when away from the hated show ring, where she must at some time
or other have been badly treated. When animals get into a state of
nervous excitement, a few pats on the neck and a soothing word or two
often act like magic in calming them down. A mare which was lent me in
Calcutta by a horse importer, and on which I won a cup in an open
jumping competition, was in such a state of nervousness that she would
not let me take the trophy until I patted and spoke to her, and the
presentation was then effected without a scene. This animal, which was a
well-bred Australian, was a stranger to me, and had never carried a lady
before that day. Nevertheless, she passed successfully through a
terribly trying ordeal, and I am certain that she would not have made
the great efforts she did in jumping, if I had not soothed and
encouraged her with my voice. She was only 14-2 in height, and was
competing against big horses, some of which were ridden by steeplechase
jockeys. The competition took place at night in a circus which was
lighted by electricity, and which was open at each end. The object to be
jumped was a white gate placed midway across the arena, and raised each
time that it had been successfully cleared. From the glare of electric
light in this crowded p