but she said nothing, and got into the carriage. This was the first time

of wearing a check-rein, and I must say, though it certainly was a nuisance
not to be able to get my head down now and then, it did not pull my head

higher than I was accustomed to carry it. I felt anxious about Ginger,
but she seemed to be quiet and content.

The next day at three o'clock we were again at the door,
and the footmen as before; we heard the silk dress rustle

and the lady came down the steps, and in an imperious voice she said,
"York, you must put those horses' heads higher; they are not fit to be seen."

York got down, and said very respectfully, "I beg your pardon, my lady,
but these horses have not been reined up for three years,

and my lord said it would be safer to bring them to it by degrees;
but if your ladyship pleases I can take them up a little more."

"Do so," she said.
York came round to our heads and shortened the rein himself -- one hole,

I think; every little makes a difference, be it for better or worse,
and that day we had a steep hill to go up. Then I began to understand

what I had heard of. Of course, I wanted to put my head forward
and take the carriage up with a will, as we had been used to do; but no,

I had to pull with my head up now, and that took all the spirit out of me,
and the strain came on my back and legs. When we came in Ginger said,

"Now you see what it is like; but this is not bad,
and if it does not get much worse than this I shall say nothing about it,

for we are very well treated here; but if they strain me up tight,
why, let 'em look out! I can't bear it, and I won't."

Day by day, hole by hole, our bearing reins were shortened,
and instead of looking forward with pleasure to having my harness put on,

as I used to do, I began to dread it. Ginger, too, seemed restless,
though she said very little. At last I thought the worst was over;

for several days there was no more shortening" target="_blank" title="n.缩短">shortening, and I determined
to make the best of it and do my duty, though it was now a constant harass

instead of a pleasure; but the worst was not come.
23 A Strike for Liberty

One day my lady came down later than usual, and the silk rustled
more than ever.

"Drive to the Duchess of B----'s," she said, and then after a pause,
"Are you never going to get those horses' heads up, York?

Raise them at once and let us have no more of this humoring and nonsense."
York came to me first, while the groom stood at Ginger's head.

He drew my head back and fixed the rein so tight that it was
almost intolerable; then he went to Ginger, who was impatiently

jerking her head up and down against the bit, as was her way now.
She had a good idea of what was coming, and the moment York took the rein

off the terret in order to shorten it she took her opportunity
and reared up so suddenly that York had his nose roughly hit

and his hat knocked off; the groom was nearly thrown off his legs.
At once they both flew to her head; but she was a match for them,

and went on plunging, rearing, and kicking in a most desperate manner.
At last she kicked right over the carriage pole and fell down,

after giving me a severe blow on my near quarter. There is no knowing
what further mischief she might have done had not York promptly

sat himself down flat on her head to prevent her struggling,
at the same time calling out, "Unbuckle the black horse!

Run for the winch and unscrew the carriage pole! Cut the trace here,
somebody, if you can't unhitch it!" One of the footmen ran for the winch,

and another brought a knife from the house. The groom soon set me free
from Ginger and the carriage, and led me to my box. He just turned me in

as I was and ran back to York. I was much excited by what had happened,
and if I had ever been used to kick or rear I am sure I should have

done it then; but I never had, and there I stood, angry, sore in my leg,
my head still strained up to the terret on the saddle,

and no power to get it down. I was very miserable and felt much inclined
to kick the first person who came near me.

Before long, however, Ginger was led in by two grooms, a good deal
knocked about and bruised. York came with her and gave his orders,

and then came to look at me. In a moment he let down my head.
"Confound these check-reins!" he said to himself; "I thought we should have

some mischief soon. Master will be sorely vexed. But there,
if a woman's husband can't rule her of course a servant can't;

so I wash my hands of it, and if she can't get to the duchess' garden party
I can't help it."

York did not say this before the men; he always spoke respectfully
when they were by. Now he felt me all over, and soon found the place

above my hock where I had been kicked. It was swelled and painful;
he ordered it to be sponged with hot water, and then some lotion was put on.

Lord W---- was much put out when he learned what had happened;
he blamed York for giving way to his mistress, to which he replied

that in future he would much prefer to receive his orders only from
his lordship; but I think nothing came of it, for things went on

the same as before. I thought York might have stood up better
for his horses, but perhaps I am no judge.

Ginger was never put into the carriage again, but when she was
well of her bruises one of the Lord W----'s younger sons

said he should like to have her; he was sure she would make a good hunter.
As for me, I was obliged still to go in the carriage, and had a fresh partner

called Max; he had always been used to the tight rein.
I asked him how it was he bore it.

"Well," he said, "I bear it because I must; but it is shortening" target="_blank" title="n.缩短">shortening my life,
and it will shorten yours too if you have to stick to it."

"Do you think," I said, "that our masters know how bad it is for us?"
"I can't say," he replied, "but the dealers and the horse-doctors

know it very well. I was at a dealer's once, who was training me
and another horse to go as a pair; he was getting our heads up, as he said,

a little higher and a little higher every day. A gentleman who was there
asked him why he did so. `Because,' said he, `people won't buy them

unless we do. The London people always want their horses
to carry their heads high and to step high. Of course it is very bad

for the horses, but then it is good for trade. The horses soon wear up,
or get diseased, and they come for another pair.' That," said Max,

"is what he said in my hearing, and you can judge for yourself."
What I suffered with that rein for four long months in my lady's carriage

it would be hard to describe; but I am quite sure that, had it lasted
much longer, either my health or my temper would have given way.

Before that, I never knew what it was to foam at the mouth,
but now the action of the sharp bit on my tongue and jaw,

and the constrained position of my head and throat, always caused me
to froth at the mouth more or less. Some people think it very fine

to see this, and say, "What fine spirited creatures!" But it is just
as unnatural for horses as for men to foam at the mouth; it is a sure sign

of some discomfort, and should be attended to. Besides this,
there was a pressure on my windpipe, which often made my breathing

very uncomfortable; when I returned from my work my neck and chest
were strained and painful, my mouth and tongue tender,

and I felt worn and depressed.
In my old home I always knew that John and my master were my friends;

but here, although in many ways I was well treated, I had no friend.
York might have known, and very likely did know, how that rein harassed me;

but I suppose he took it as a matter of course that it could not be helped;
at any rate, nothing was done to relieve me.

24 The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse
Early in the spring, Lord W---- and part of his family went up to London,

and took York with them. I and Ginger and some other horses
were left at home for use, and the head groom was left in charge.