334 0N THE MANEGE. 



the ehara&eriftic of barbarous times. It is un- 

 neceffary to any good or ufeful purpofe, be- 

 caufe alliuch, whether of parade or bufmefs, 

 may be fully anfwered by the common, ra- 

 tional, and uninjurious management : whereas 

 there is always more or lefs cruelty praclifed in 

 completing the full-drefled horfe ; fuch, for in- 

 Itance, as fevere whippings, the meaning of 

 which the horfe cannot poffibly comprehend, 

 and which are therefore unnatural and illegiti- 

 mate meafures ; the labour and irritation alfo, are 

 exceffive, and after all, the natural paces of the 

 horfe are fpoiled, and he is rendered unfit for 

 common bufmefs ; the only compenfation for 

 which is, that he has learned fundry harlequin 

 tricks ; two of them are, to (kip like a goat, and 

 kick up behind like an afs. 



It is vexatious in the extreme, to read the 

 directions of the old Italian writers, for teach- 

 ing the horfe their different manoeuvres. Their 



o 



method of learning him to yarke, or kick up 

 behind, (a trick, I fhould conceive, much more 

 probable to be attended with mifchief, than 

 either pleafure or profit) was as follows : — the 

 rider fat fpurring and curbing his horfe, whilft 

 one or more perfons on foot were, with equal 

 wifdom, employed in whipping or beating him 

 behind with rods ; and this hopeful difcipline 

 was daily repeated, either abroad, or in the lia- 

 ble, until he could yarke, forfooth. 



I lately 



