. The adventures of a gentleman in search of a horse. Horses. 222 THE ADVENTURES OP A GENTLEMAN .' of washing her soles a second time. I followed in dismay; a quarter of a mile further, two stanhopes going in opposite directions had come in direct colli- sion ; four gentlemen were just recovering their legs, and gaping round in bewilderment at the sudden ap- parition of Tam o'Shanter the second; their horses had taken fright at the clatter of the mare, and, em- ulating her good example, bolted too, and met in full career. At Tottenham-court-road the dandy's hat had taken leave. I tracked its o
. The adventures of a gentleman in search of a horse. Horses. 222 THE ADVENTURES OP A GENTLEMAN .' of washing her soles a second time. I followed in dismay; a quarter of a mile further, two stanhopes going in opposite directions had come in direct colli- sion ; four gentlemen were just recovering their legs, and gaping round in bewilderment at the sudden ap- parition of Tam o'Shanter the second; their horses had taken fright at the clatter of the mare, and, em- ulating her good example, bolted too, and met in full career. At Tottenham-court-road the dandy's hat had taken leave. I tracked its owner, like a fox, guided by countless accidents, till I arrived at Pad- dington, and there, emerging from a bed of savory Blush, I found him ! He was in truth well equipped for the hero of a drawing-room ! "quantum mutatus ab illo ;. IN SEARCH OF A HORSE. 223 He had pitched head-foremost into one of those luscious quagmires which heretofore our road makers were wont to accumulate at the road-side. The mud formed a rich pomatum for his curly mop. The pil- lory could not have worked a more complete meta- morphosis. "Carry the gemman to the pump!" was the general cry, and certainly his folly deserved it. I called a coach just in time to save him from friends and foes, for on retracing my route, I encountered orange-women, costermongers, gentlemen, and fish- fags, all in full cry, like a pack of beagles! There is no effectual cure for a restive horse. I have once or twice succeeded in the case of bolting, but it has only been by a severity of work that I can not recommend—by urging him to exhaustion. For a time it cures the horse, but it renders him unfit for work, or sale; and when his condition is restored, his vice returns with it: but prevention is easy; the groom should never be allowed to tease his horses. A horse does not understand a jest; tickling or pinching him, worrying him in the stall, sometimes coaxing and then scolding him, dressing him
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpublisher, booksubjecthorses
