OF HORSEMANSHIP, 23 



The horfes of this trad: of country feem to have 

 been the favourites of the ancients, who greatly extol 

 their fwiftnefs, and ftatelinefs of their adlion. And 

 here it may not be improper to obferve once for all, 

 that moft of the ancient authors, who fpcak of the 

 horfe, or defcribe its figure, mention the proud, 

 high, and equal Hep, which conflitutes, what is un- 

 derflood by the term action, not only as a requifite, 

 but as the nobleft accomplifhraent an horfe can pofTefs: 

 and it mufl: be acknowledged, that when the animal 

 difplays it properly, motion appears in its higheft 

 grace. The poets^ who love beautiful images, fpeak 

 of the horfe in this view, in fuch expreffive and apt 

 terms, that after feeing the horfes themfelves, the next 

 pleafure is to read their defcriptions of them. The 

 painters and ftatuaries are likewife fond of exhibiting 

 the animal in this ftriking attitude. 



The inhabitants of Numidia, Mauritania, Nafamonia, 

 MaJftUa, and other adjacent trads of the fame region, 

 are celebrated for having had horfes of great fleetnefs 

 and vigour ; but more for their ftrange and peculiar 

 manner of riding them without a bridle or faddle, 

 ufmg a voand only, or fwitch, to guide and command 

 them. Many poets, who in fome inftances may pafs 

 for hiftorians, and many hiftorians likewife, affert this 

 for a truth. Livy * fpeaking of this manner of ma- 

 naging their horfes, fays with great juftice, that they 



* Lib. xxiii. c. 25, and 25, 9. Vide alfo Caef. de Bello Afric. 



made 



