Horses may be bought from 3 to 100 dollars, according to their quality; a very good one may be had for seventeen dollars. They average about 12 or 13 hands high, and have the tail mostly long. They will endure much fatigue. Their pace is the gallop, or canter; trotting, the horse’s natural pace, appears quite unnatural here; but we must not include those trained for the carriage or gig. There are some fine horses in Buenos Ayres; and by those who have not seen the hunters, the dray, and the heavy horse of Europe, they will be admired. To tell a native that horses have been sold in England for 2, 3, 4, and 5000 guineas, would hardly gain belief.[19] If these animals are cheap here, the keep of them is dear—from 12 to 17 dollars per month. Hay is not much used: grass may be purchased from the country, every morning, from the grass carts that pass through the town.
They have no convenience like the livery stables of England. The horses are put under a shed, or left in the open air; the mild climate requiring no other care. Those employed in drudgery with carts, at the custom-house, &c. are as hard worked as our post and hackney-coach horses.
English saddles are in vogue. The ricado, or saddle of the country, keeps its sway, being so constructed that on journeys it serves for saddle and bed. The Spanish bridle and bit are preferred both by the English and the natives. The Spanish fashion of having the stirrups long is invariably followed, and I think it more graceful than our mode.
Silver stirrups, spurs, &c. are not so much in use as formerly. Horses, bridles, and saddles were repeatedly stolen in the streets; but such events, from the regularity of the police, do not often happen now. Every horse has a burnt mark, by which its owner can be traced.
The ladies ride on horseback; but they neither look so well in their riding attire, or manage the horse so dexterously, as the British ladies.
The lower orders of countrymen ride with one toe in the stirrup, and gallop for miles in that way.
They strap the front of the horses’ legs, to prevent their running away, in the streets. Galloping is not permitted in the town.
The country waggons are roofed with hides, and have large wheels: the creaking of the latter is very disagreeable; but they will not take the trouble to grease them. Whole families and parties, going long journeys, live and sleep for weeks or months together in waggons drawn by oxen. Six or eight of them are yoked, in pairs, to a log of wood at the back of the horns, to which the rope harness is tied, and they are thus made to draw the burthen from the head. They are urged on by poles with a sharp substance at the end: the drivers have likewise a piece of lead, in shape and size like our constables’ staffs, with which they belabour the poor animal about the horns. They sadly want a Mr. Martin here. From being so constantly goaded, these animals have got a mischievous trick of kicking; and, not being aware of them, I once received a favour of this sort, which has since made me (to use the sailor’s phrase) “give them a wide birth.”