TAMING HORSES. 33 



first experiments, I reflected upon the nature of 

 horses in general, many of which, when confined, 

 appeared to fear nothing: notwithstanding this, 

 the result of my reflections was, that fear, much 

 more than any thing else, was the cause of their 

 resistance ; of the resistance even of the fiercest ; 

 for, although these latter would run at a man, 

 as well as at any other thing, when confined, 

 yet, if they were let loose, and turned out into a 

 field, they would leave him and scamper away. 

 Being once convinced that fear was the only cause 

 of the obstinacy seen in horses taken to be gentled 

 by force, it now remained to discover by what 

 means that fear might be taken away. To take 

 away fear, is, to inspire confidence ; or, inspiring 

 confidence, is taking away fear. I believe there is 

 no person, who does not experience a more agree- 

 able sensation, when another ^^erson combs his hair, 

 than when he combs it himself. To be vulgar, 

 who is there, that has not found a pleasure in hav- 

 ing another rub his legs or arms, hands or feet, if 

 he felt a pain in them, much more than if he 

 rubbed them himself We all know what pleasure 

 it gives a parrot to have one scratch or rub him 

 upon the head. Now, of the five senses, the sense 

 of feeling possesses something more, as to its influence 

 of materiality, than the other four. It has a simi- 

 lar ^ect upon anim als as upon men. Whereas, the 



