with a heavy shock, and while struggling on the
ground, the Gaucho, holding the lazo tight, makes
a circle so as to catch one of the hind legs just
beneath the fetlock, and draws it close to the two
front. He then hitches the lazo so that the three
legs are bound together; then, sitting on the
horse’s neck, he fixes a strong bridle without a
bit to the lower jaw; this he does by passing a
narrow thong through the eye-holes at the end
of the reins, and several times round both jaw
and tongue; the two front legs are now tied
closely together with a strong leathern throng,
fastened by a slip knot. The lazo which bound
the three together being then loosened, the horse
rises with difficulty; the Gaucho, now holding
fast the bridle fixed to the lower jaw, leads the
horse outside the corral. If a second man is present (otherwise the trouble is much greater), he
holds the animal’s head while the first puts on
the horse-cloths and the saddle, and girths the
whole together. During this operation, the horse,
from dread and astonishment at being thus bound
round the waist, throws himself over and over
again on the ground, and till beaten, is unwilling
to rise. At last, when the saddling is finished,
the poor animal can hardly breathe from fear,
and is white with foam and sweat. The man
now prepares to mount by pressing heavily on
the stirrup, so that the horse may not lose its
balance; and at the moment he throws his leg
over the animal’s back, he pulls the slip knot,
and the beast is free. Some domidors pull the
knot while the animal is lying on the ground,
and, standing over the saddle, allow it to rise be-
neath them; the horse, wild with dread, gives a
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