142 NATURAL HISTORY. 



them to violent motions; and as, through the unskil- 

 fulness of the rider, it often happens that in giving 

 the spur he checks the bridle ; the horse, finding him- 

 self excited on one side, and kept in on the other, only 

 prances and capers without stirring out of his place. 



By means of the bridle we teach horses to hold up 

 their heads, and place them in a proper manner, and 

 the smallest sign or movement of the rider is sufficient 

 to make the horse shew all his different paces. The 

 most natural is perhaps the trot, but pacing and gal- 

 loping are more pleasant for the rider, and these are 

 the two paces we particularly endeavour to improve. 



Though walking is the slowest of all their paces, 

 a horse should, notwithstanding, step quick, and nei- 

 ther take too long nor too short steps. His carriage 

 should be easy, this ease depends much on the liber- 

 ty of his shoulders, and is known by the manner in 

 which he carries his head in walking. Jf lie keep it 

 high and steady, he is generally vigorous, quick, and 

 free in his motions. When the motion of the shoul- 

 ders is not free, the leg does not rise enough, and the 

 horse is apt to stumble, and strike his foot against the 

 inequalities on the ground. When, on the other hand 

 the shoulders are more confined in their action, and 

 the motion of the legs appears free, the horse is soon 

 fatigued, stumbles, and becomes useless. A horse 

 should raise his shoulders, and his lower haunches in 

 walking. He should also suppoit his leg, and raise 

 it high enough, but if he keep it up too long, or let it 

 fall too slowly, he loses all the advantage of his sup- 

 pleness, and becomes quite heavy. 



It is not sufficient that his walk should be easy, 

 his steps must be also equal and uniform both behind 

 and before, for if his buttocks have a swinging motion, 



