OF HORSEMANSHIP. ^^ 



This we learn from Pliny, who wrote a treatife on 

 the art of riding, which is now loft. There were 

 likewife Eguifones, or profeffed riding-mafters, among 

 them who difciplined horfes, and taught the art of 

 riding. Varro mentions the fame thing, and fays, that 

 an horfe deftined to the faddle, is fent to a mafter, 

 who is to teach him to deal his feet loftily, and form 

 his paces — traditiir magijiro, ut equifo doceat tolutim. 



It was ufual with thofe, who valued themfelves 

 upon their fkill in riding, and had won a prize in the 

 races of the Circus, or elfewhere, to change horfes 

 with their vanquiflied antagonifts, and ftart again, 

 purely to fhew that the vidlory was not to be afcribed 

 to the horfes only. Homer and Plutarch fpeak of this 

 cuftom, as well as other writers. 



This people (as well as the Greeks) were very exacH: 

 in cleaning and dreffing their horfes. 



For this purpofe, and to remove the fweat, they 

 made ufe of a piece of wood, formed to the fliape of 

 a Sword, and known to us under the name of a Scraper; 

 and, inftead of a Curry-comb, they put a covering upon 

 their hands, of a rough grain, and compofcd of the 

 bark of the palm-tree, with this they rubbed the coats 

 of their horfes, to give them a polifli, and make 

 them fleek and fhining. They were likewife very 

 careful of the Foretop, Mane, and Tai/, frequently wafli- 

 ing and cleaning them, and occafionally applying oil, 

 to nourifh the hair and give it a glofs. After labour 

 and fatigue, it was cuftomary to lead the horfes to 



ponds 



