80 HOW THE HORSE LEARNS 



desire to derive utility from the horse, to treat him 

 well, to associate good treatment with our persons 

 so that he may get the idea that we are a benetit 

 to him, and that he may come to and remain w il- 

 lingly with ns. This predisposes and persuades him 

 to obedience, renders his mastery easy, and dimi- 

 nishes his susceptibility to the feeling of fear, as, 

 neyer having been rendered afraid by us by bad 

 treatment, he takes fright less readily at the objects 

 he does not know, and more easily overcomes and 



7 t. 



gets rid of such fear, if it has arisen, on our ca- 

 ressing him, and this is a great advantage as the 

 horse is so prone to fear 



Good and had associations. 



As has been said the horse deems good those 

 things with which is associated a pleasure for him, 

 and deems bad the things with which is associated 

 a pain or threat of pain or fear. In this respect 

 we have it within our power to give the horse 

 good or bad associations, i. e. associations of j^lea- 

 sure or pain, but we should give good associations 



