146 EXAMINATION OF HORSES 



very hard mouth is absolutely dangerous to those who 

 ride and drive him. If you do mount the horse, do not 

 venture to do so until some of the stored-up muscular 

 energy has had time to discharge itself — "freshness," 

 as it is called. Dr. Alexander Bain, in his great work, 

 "The Senses and the Intellect," will give you much 

 information on this subject. He reviews the feelings of 

 muscular exercise, first on their physical side, then on 

 their mental side. In reviewing the mental side, he 

 says : " Observation shows that this (^feeling) is pleasur- 

 able, indifferent, or painful, according to the condition 

 of the system. The first outburst of muscular vigour 

 in a healthy frame, after rest and nourishment, is highly 

 pleasurable. The intensity of the pleasure gradually 

 subsides into indifi"erence ; and if the exercise is pro- 

 longed beyond a certain time, pain ensues." During 

 rest all the tissues get repaired, and in the muscles there 

 is an accumulation of muscular energy with which the 

 nervous system is mainly involved. The outburst of the 

 first expenditure of this is accompanied by uncontrollable ^ 

 pleasurable excitement, which, through continued move- 

 ment, gradually subsides into indifference. I would 

 earnestly recommend you to beware of this dangerous 

 stored-up muscular energy. The more breeding and 

 condition a horse has, the more can this muscunlar 

 energy be stored up in him, ''the better will he carry 

 corn." This is nowhere better seen than in the race- 

 horse and hunter, — the former especially. In both cases 

 enormous quantities of muscular energy can be stored. 



