120 HOW THE HORSE LEARNS 



punished. To this may be added his feeling that 

 pain is being caused to his body and this may 

 even be regarded as the jji-incipal cause of his 

 not being willing. This is the reason for the neces- 

 sity of teaching the horse by gradation and stages 

 so that he may learn to place himself in the va- 

 rious positions and make the various movements 

 without feeling pain in the legs or body. If he is 

 to learn to make them promptly and well, this is 

 another reason for teaching them by gradation. 



If his body is not gradually prepared to assume 

 the various positions and take up the various pos- 

 tures required for the different evolutions, and he 

 is put into them without preparation, he has dif- 

 ficulty and is excited to make oppositions and reac- 

 tions the more so if we want to force him bv 

 punishment. 



By powerful aids, well applied it is jjossible to 

 succeed in controlling some horses even when un- 

 prepared and not rendered pliant, and forcing them 

 to make some evolutions and movements. But their 

 aversion, resistance and revolt are excited because 

 pain is caused to their body, and if their good nature 



