He stood with his hands upon his hips and his feet far apart, and spat into the corral dust and told Big Medicine that nobody but a pilgrim ever handled a horse the way Big Medicine was handling Deuce.

Whereat Big Medicine gave a bellowing haw-haw-haw and choked it suddenly when he saw that the Kid desired him to take the criticism seriously.
"All right, Buck," he acceded humbly, winking openly at the Native Son.
"I'll try m'best, old-timer.

Trouble with me is, I never had nobody to learn me how to handle a hoss." "Well, you've got me, now," Buck returned calmly.

"I don't ride MY string without brushing the hay out of his tail.

There's a big long hay stuck in your horse's tail." He pointed an accusing finger, and Big Medicine silently edged close to Douce's rump and very carefully removed the big, long hay.