OF HORSEMANSHIP. 71 



different occafions, but always underflood to mean a 

 gelding. 



The etymology of this word is fomewhat particular, 

 and various, but unfatisfacftory conje<5lures have been 

 formed concerning it. The beft explanation feems 

 to be that which derives it from the Greek word 

 xxvhXiov, canthelion, which by no unufual change of 

 one letter for another, may be made cantherion -, which 

 word, in the original fenfe, fignifies a pack-faddle j 

 and it being ufual to caflrate the Cantberii, or Pack- 

 horfes, to make them gentle and quiet, it became a 

 cullom to call all caftrated horfes Cantherii, though 

 appointed to other fervices than to carry packs or 

 burdens. 



In procefs of time, people who, for fundry reafons, 

 rode on horfeback, began to prefer thefe Cantherii, or 

 geldings, for their calmnefs of temper, to other horfes; 

 and the flow gallop, which we call a Canter, being a 

 foft and eafy pace in which moft people delight, it 

 may not, perhaps, be deemed too bold a conjecTrure, 

 to fuppofe that our word canter, expreffive of tliat 

 pace, may owe its derivation to the Latin term, Cantbe- 

 ritis, the appellation of the horfe, which ufually per- 

 formed it*. 



* Dr. Johnfon, in his diftionary, calls this pace the Canterbury oal- 

 !op, which he defines to be the ^a>"<^ gallop of an ambling horfe, com- 

 monly called a canter ; and probably derived from the monks riding to 

 Canterbury on eafy ambling horfes. How juft the derivation of the word 

 may be, I will not prefume to decide > but the definition muft certainly 

 puzzle all who are horfeimn, and all who are not, 



I The 



