The Old Horse-breaker Speaks

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 60, 12 March 1938, Page 12 (Supplement)

The Old Horse-breaker Speaks

He leant back and whittled at s little piece of wood; "What, horses? You don't break 'em, but you have to make 'era good. "For sixty years I've handled 'em"— and then he gave a laugh— "There's*good uns and there's bad uns. and there's ones that's half and half; "But I've never been ashamed yet of a single one I've had, "The halt-aii'-halfers, good uns, or the ones that you'd call bad. "I shut my eyes an' see 'em—hundreds of 'em passing by, I "The proud uns and the friendly, the | timid and the shy. i"And I raise my hat to each of 'em, all down the sixty years, "For they're been an' made my life | for me, the pleasures and the cares. | "I always liked 'em fresh, untouched, | and running wild and free, ."For the wrong man knocks the bloom j ott' in a day it seems to me, i"When he mucks about and mouths 'em i with a hand that's like a brick— "Well, it's firm and steady, right enough, i but gentle does the trick." And he looked up with his eyes half I shut and smiled, and shook his head— ; "What, horses ? Lord, I love 'em best with icings on 'em!" he said. j "IT I."