186 HOW THE HORSE LEARNS 



When the horse is changed into a machine by 

 habit, his disobedience will be an exception only 

 in case of strong fear or strong excitement arou- 

 sed in him bv other horses or by natural instinct. 



Habit is produced in the horse by methodical 

 daily repetitions of the actions taught for a certain 

 time and in accordance with his mental and phy- 

 sical nature. Until the horse has been endowed 

 with the habit of obeying the aids and performing 

 the ordinary evolutions in the riding school he 

 must not be allowed to be ridden by an incapa- 

 ble person or outside the riding school, because 

 he will be immediately spoilt. 



Repetition is necesfiary with a view 



to muMnfi him learn, muMng him rememher, and 



to maintain facility of execution. 



The renewal of the associations is the means of 

 impressing them upon the mind, and the repetition 

 of the execution of the actions is the means of 

 teaching how to do them and of rendering their 

 execution better and more prompt, finally making 



