258 THE "SUAVITER IN MODO " AND " FORTITER IN RE." 



evident uneasiness or resistance, he will of course be 

 put into the hands of some one who understands 

 what he is about, and he goes through the regular 

 (though generally very imperfect) routine of break- 

 ing; but should the horse (I may say unfortunately, 

 if his owner is not a good coachman) go quietly, 

 he will probably the next day be put into some car- 

 riage, and then ten to one something occurs that did 

 not occur the day before: he gets alarmed, and a milling 

 match is the consequence. This is not vice : for, if it 

 was, he would have kicked the first time he was put 

 in ; but he did not : why ? because the placidity of his 

 temper made him willing to do what was asked of 

 him when not alarmed ; but his placidity is not proof 

 against his fears. Hence the great stress I lay upon 

 harness-horses being accustomed to every casualty 

 we may expect to occur in harness : when he has by 

 experience found such casualties do not injure him, 

 they will not alarm, but, till he has, they assuredly 

 will. 



We should always bear one thing in mind that 

 ought to disarm our anger when horses show what 

 we term vice. When horses kick, plunge, or run 

 away in harness, they do not do so with any intent 

 to hurt us personally : probably they are in no way 

 aware we are behind them ; and if, from speaking 

 to them, they became so, how often do we find that 

 (when not too much alarmed or irritated) the sooth- 

 ing voice of one to whom they are accustomed, 

 will calm their irritation, and re-assure their fears. 



If any one wished to convince himself how opposite 

 to the nature of the horse it is to injure man unless pro- 

 voked to do so, or alarmed, he need go no further than 

 to any place where our houshold troops are employed 



