Many indifferent horsemen seem to think that spurs were 

 invented for the special purpose of holding on by, and 

 have come to grief accordingly ; but not until the horse 

 has been unnecessarily punished by having its sides gored 

 and gashed for several inches, causing blood very often 

 to trickle down its side freely. 



The cruel spurs and gag-bit were not known 

 in early days, as we learn by the Fresco repre- 

 sentations of the Parthenon at Athens, the horse 

 being guided by a word or movement of the hand 

 of the rider, the same as our cart horses of the present 

 day are to a certain extent. The amateur horseman should 

 by no means wear spurs until he can sit a horse properly, 

 and has become perfectly familiar with the real use of 

 them. The military horseman rarely touches the skin 

 with the spurs, yet he can guide (or ease) the horse to the 

 right or left, and forward or backward by a slight pressure 

 of the knee, and sometimes is understood by a slight shake 

 of the foot or leg. Spurs, used without discretion, not only 

 wound the horse but affect his temper, and endangers the 

 life of the rider. 



The same rule applies to the unnecessary ap- 

 plication of the whip, either when riding or driving ; 

 and it must be remembered that a " long journey 

 and swift " is dangerous, and that it is good policy to 

 frequently pat, or make much of, your steed, at the same 

 time to call him by name. The horse should never be 

 flogged for shying, but the object shied at should be 

 steadily and carefully approached, or rode up to ; this will 

 satisfy the horse, and tend to give him confidence in the 

 future. 



