rd as iron, with edges sharp and
jagged. Over such ground we would gallop at full speed and with little
hesitation, trusting absolutely to our locally-bred ponies to see us
through. English horses could never have done it, and probably no
old-country horseman would have taken the chances. We got bad falls now
and then, but very seldom indeed considering conditions.

The bits used then were murderous contrivances, being of the kind called
spade or ring bits. By means of them a horse could be thrown on his
haunches with slight effort, even his jaw may be broken. Luckily the bit
is little used by the cowboy. His horse knows its painful character, and
so obeys the slightest raising of the rider's hand. It should also be
remarked that the cow-pony is guided, not by pulling either the right or
left rein, but by the rider carrying his bridle hand over to the _left_
if he wants to go to the left, and vice versa. There is no pulling on
the mouth. The pony does not understand that; it is the slight pressure
of the right rein on the _right_ side of the neck that turns him to the
_left_.

The reata in those days was nearly always made of plaited raw hide, and
often made by the boys themselves, though a good reata required a long
time to complete and peculiar skill in the making of it. Quirts
(quadras) and horse hobbles were also made of raw hide.

As everyone knows, the horn of the saddle is used in America to hold
roped cattle with. In South America a ring fixed to the surcingle is
used; while in Guatemala and Costa Rica the reata is tied to the end of
the horse's tail!

It is a very pretty sight to see a skilled roper (the best are often
Mexicans) at work in a corral or in a herd; or better still, when after
a wild steer on the prairie. But roping is hardly ever used nowadays,
one reason of the "passing" of the old-time cowboy. We used to have
great annual roping competitions in New Mexico and Texas, when handsome
prizes were given to the men who would rope and tie down a big steer in
quickest time. I once or twice went in myself to these competitions and
was lucky enough to do fairly well, being mounted on a thoroughly
trained roping horse; but it is a chancy affair, as often the best man
may unluckily get a lazy sort of steer to operate on, and it is much
more difficult to throw down such an animal than a wild, active,
fast-galloping one; for this reason, that on getting the rope over his
horns you must roll him over, or ra