SUCH IS POPULAR APPLAUSE. 327 



duty, the life or limbs of his rider are endangered. 

 A good ring-horse, though he must have speed, wind, 

 endurance, and courage, must be a perfect automaton 

 of a horse so far as regards any thing done that 

 would alarm or annoy any other. It would far 

 exceed my limits to state the many things that would 

 make a horse useless in the ring : some are too hasty, 

 some too sluggish ; some never can be taught to go 

 an even pace, be that fast or slow ; some will not 

 keep close to the outside of the ring, others swerve 

 a little from the orchestra ; others will not bear the 

 flags about their head ; others will accelerate or 

 retard their pace when the rider leaps ; some will not 

 go under the board or cloth steadily ; others, if hit, 

 fly too much from the whip ; some will hit their legs 

 in going round; in short, I could mention twenty 

 failings that a horse might have that would prevent 

 his ever being a horse that could be depended upon 

 in the ring. When he is, he is beyond price to his 

 owner. The horse that jumps through a hoop covered 

 with paper gets great applause, the horse that simply 

 goes round the ring none ; whereas his doing this is 

 what very few will do well, and there is not one in 

 twenty that will not do the other in a very few days, 

 I have not attempted to tell the public the 

 modes by which all these horses are taught their 

 tricks : different masters have different modes : I 

 have told, however, how horses may be taught certain 

 things ; and, mutatis mutandis^ all tricks are taught 

 on the same principle. My only motive in doing 

 this has been a wish to do justice to those who own 

 and instruct such horses, by showing that patience, 

 gentleness, and encouragement is the leading prin- 



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