'Leaping-
bar!' said Mr. Petulengro scornfully. 'Do you think my black pal ever
rides at a leaping-bar? No more than at a windle-straw. Leap over that
meadow wall, Tawno.' Just past the house, in the direction in which I
had been trotting, was a wall about four feet high, beyond which was a
small meadow. Tawno rode the horse gently up to the wall, permitted him
to look over, then backed him for about ten yards, and pressing his
calves against the horse's sides, he loosed the rein, and the horse
launching forward, took the leap in gallant style. 'Well done, man and
horse!' said Mr. Petulengro; 'now come back, Tawno.' The leap from the
side of the meadow was, however, somewhat higher; and the horse, when
pushed at it, at first turned away; whereupon Tawno backed him to a
greater distance, pushed the horse to a full gallop, giving a wild cry;
whereupon the horse again took the wall, slightly grazing one of his legs
against it. 'A near thing,' said the landlord, 'but a good leap. Now,
no more leaping, so long as I have control over the animal.' The horse
was then led back to the stable; and the landlord, myself and companions
going into the bar, I paid down the money for the horse.
* * * * *
'When you are a gentleman,' said he, after a pause, 'the first thing you
must think about is to provide yourself with a good horse for your own
particular riding; you will perhaps keep a coach and pair, but they will
be less your own than your lady's, should you have one, and your young
gentry, should you have any; or, if you have neither, for madam, your
housekeeper, and the upper female servants, so you need trouble your head
less about them, though, of course, you would not like to pay away your
money for screws; but be sure you get a good horse for your own riding;
and that you may have a good chance of having a good one, buy one that's
young and has plenty of belly--a little more than the one has which you
now have, though you are not yet a gentleman; you will, of course, look
to his head, his withers, legs and other points, but never buy a horse at
any price that has not plenty of belly; no horse that has not belly is
ever a good feeder, and a horse that a'n't a good feeder, can't be a good
horse; never buy a horse that is drawn up in the belly behind; a horse of
that description can't feed, and can never carry sixteen stone.
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