252 XENOPHON's TREATISE 



to make him leap over and follow. If he will not 

 obey, let fome body behind flrike him with the whip 

 or fwitch ; whereupon he will leap, and not only the 

 necelTary diftance, but much farther than was requir- 

 ed. For the future, there will be no need to beat him, 

 for, if he does but fee a man coming behind him, he 

 will immediately leap. When he has been accuftom- 

 ed to this for a certain time, let him be mounted and 

 tried, at firft, at fmall leaps, and put by degrees to 

 larger; and juft as he is going to rife, let him be prick- 

 ed with the fpurs. This alfo fliould be done upon 

 other occafions, when he is required to leap, inafmuch 

 as that the fpurs will quicken and animate him to rife 

 and gather up himfelf clofely and compacftly, and pre- 

 vent him from dragging his hinder parts, which would 

 be unfafe and dangerous to the rider. 



As hills and inequalities of ground will often occur^ 

 the horfe fliould be praftifed firft to go down hill, and 

 fhould be taught this lefTon in foft ground; when he 

 is ufed to do this, he will go down more readily than 

 upwards. Nor need any one apprehend that his 

 Ihoulders will be hurt, when they are informed that 

 the Ferjians and Odnjians * keep their horfes as found 

 and healthy as the Grecians, although it is their cuftom 

 to ride races down hill. 



We will now mention what is to be done upon 

 thefe occafions by the rider. When the horfe raifes 



* A people of Thrace. 



his 



