EIDIXG OX THE ROAD. 45 



Very many horses will walk quietly with the reins 

 loose on their neck, and you can gallop them at 

 their top speed without pulling at them, for the 

 simple reason that they cannot go any faster. But 

 few will trot pleasantly with their heads loose, and 

 fewer still will canter. 



Again, a horse to be properly trained should 

 stand still without being held while the rider 

 mounts. By without being held I mean without 

 being held either by the rider or anyone else : but 

 how many horses are there that will do this ? He 

 should also stand still with his head loose whenever 

 his rider wishes to stop and converse with anyone 

 or to look at anything. 



Most horses are capable of being taught all this, 

 but they will not do it, partly because they are not 

 taught to do it, and partly because they are actually 

 taught to do the contrary. 



Thus, for instance, in galloping after the hounds 

 a horse is taught and made to bear a certain weight 

 on the rider's hands ; that is to say, a man will pull 

 at his horse's head and spur him at the same 

 time. 



This is popularly called holding him together, 

 and is supposed to be the most necessary when gal- 

 loping over rough, uneven ground, but I cannot help 

 thinking that if a horse's four legs will not keep 

 him from tumbling down, the rider's hands cannot 

 do so, and that if a horse's own eyes cannot show 



