48 THE ART AND HISTORY 



pellation to have been given to certain horfes, which, 

 from the hardnefs of their mouths, and obflinacy of 

 their tempers, could only be governed by the rigour of 

 the bitt, called the Wolj-b'm. 



The Grecians in many inftances chofe mares before 

 horfes. ^Han fays, they thought them fitter for the 

 courfe ; and Virgil names only the mares of Epirus, as 

 running in the Olympian race. Pliny fays, they were 

 fwifter than horfes. It has been already obferved, that 

 the Greeks were accuftomed to mount and difmouni, 

 by vaulting and leaping from and upon the backs of 

 their horfes, as well as from one horfe to another. 

 Thefe feats of adlivity feem to have been firft pratTtifed 

 in battle, and in thofe ages vsrhen faddles, and confe- 

 qucntly ftirrups, were unknown. 



The utility of this method fpeaks for itfelf, for if one 

 horfe was tired, wounded, or killed, his rider had 

 another ready for his fervice ; two or three being led 

 into the field, which were ufed as occafion required. 

 Thefe exercifes, fo feriouily neceffaiy in war, were, 

 after a time, performed in the public games, and 

 other occafional exhibitions, merely tofhew thenimble- 

 nefs and addrefs of the horfeman ; and the modern art 

 of vaulting, in all its variety of poilures and methods, 

 and which has now little more in view, than to difplay 

 the atflivity of the performer, is, beyond doubt, derived 

 from this ancient pradlice ; as well as the whole modern 

 manege, except which in fome few refinements, calculated 

 merely for grace and pleafure, is borrowed from the 



different 



