236 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



played them on the battle-field, to the utter discom- 

 fiture of the Sybarites, whose horses became unmanage- 

 able, and so lost the day. 



The following anecdote will at once illustrate the 

 strength and sagacity of the horse : — 



" A nobleman in the early part of the reign of Louis 

 XV., having a very vicious horse, which none of the 

 grooms or servants would ride, several of them having 

 been thrown, and one killed, asked leave of his majesty 

 to have him turned loose into the menagerie against 

 one of the largest Hons. The king readily consented, 

 and the animal on a certain day was conducted thither. 

 Soon after the arrival of the horse, the door of the 

 den was drawn up, and the lion with great state and 

 majesty marched slowly to the mouth of it, when seeing 

 his antagonist he set up a tremendous roar. The horse 

 immediately started and fell back, his ears were erected, 

 his mane was raised, his eyes sparkled, and something 

 like a general convulsion seemed to agitate his whole 

 frame. After the first emotion of fear had subsided, 

 the horse retired to a corner of the menagerie, where 

 having directed his heels towards the lion, and having 

 reared his head over his left shoulder, he watched with 

 extreme eagerness the motions of his enemy. The 

 lion, who presently quitted the den, sidled about for 

 more than a minute, as if meditating the mode of at- 

 tack, when having sufficiently prepared himself for the 

 combat, he made a sudden spring at the horse, which 

 defended itself by striking his adversary a violent blow 

 in the chest. The lion instantly retreated, groaned, 

 and seemed for several minutes inclined to give up the 

 contest, when, recovering from the painful effects of the 

 blow, he returned to the charge with unabated violence. 

 The mode of preparation for this second attack was 

 the same as the first ; he sidled from one side of the 



