TREADING. They have also invented a few methods of expressing their feelings. When a horse presses his hand on my foot, and adds to the tenderness of the greeting by waving his other hand, I know he means to impress me, although I may not have leisure at the moment to hear what he has to say. TAKING IN THE SLACK. When a horse takes the seat of my breeches firmly between his teeth as I try to mount, he may not wish me to ride, or possibly he wishes to criticise the English riding costume. Breeches with puffed sleeves are perhaps an acquired taste. CROWDING. A horse may corner or crowd me when I try to leave the stall after feeding him, and if he hugged me he could do no more to express his pleasure. But if he will not let me re-enter his stall while he feeds, I suspect some {78} groom has been stealing his oats from the manger. JOGGLING. Soldier horses on the march are obliged to keep the pace set by the leading file. If that pace is beyond their walk, they keep up by joggling. To break a joggling horse to a walk, stand in the stirrups, place the free hand on his neck, and bear with the whole weight of your body. To return now to defensive methods. BUCKING. To lower the head, and spring into the air, humping the back, drawing the feet close together, and coming down on all four rigid, for the next spring. Repeat. It is useful when starting a spring with the head north to twist in the air and come down facing south; or to make the series of jumps in a narrow circle and then bolt at a tangent; or to buck on the run, dislodging the rider first, then the saddle which can be kicked to pieces. If the rider is dragged his brains can be kicked out. SUNFISHING. To buck, coming down on both hind feet and one fore, while doubling up the other free limb. This brings one shoulder to the ground, and to sunfish is to drop alternate shoulders. Very few horses know this exercise. {79} SCRAPING. To run or buck under low branches or against trees or walls. Some civilised horses know this. BACKFALLS. These may be used to add to the general effect of either rearing or bucking. I once bought a black mare seven years old, snared in the forest, who had probably never seen a man. When ridden she bucked, and while bucking threw herself seven times on her back, three falls being over a cut bank on to a rocky river bed. Towards evening she cricked her neck, and showed blood at the nostrils, making an awful picture of despair. During the night she slipped a foal, of which there had been no sign. Before dawn she died--a case of broken heart. The horse breaker, an English gentleman, stayed with her throughout, and was not hurt. [Sidenote: Acts of passion]