40 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



tinues, " a proof of this in men, who when they 

 wish to take up anything from the ground do try 

 to raise it by setting their legs apart rather than 

 by bringing them together." 



These remarks are sensible, yet probably there 

 are few modern horsemen ready to admit that a 

 horse's hoof should be high and hollow, and the 

 frog kept up from the ground "as well before as 

 behind," which was Xenophon's opinion. Then in 

 his time saddles and stirrups had not, apparently, 

 been thought of, for we read that when first 

 introduced they were looked upon with scorn, all 

 who used them being laughed at and deemed to 

 take rank among what we should call in these 

 days " muffs." 



As already noted, Xenophon had something to 

 say upon bits and bitting, and he describes at 

 length the advantages of the jointed over the 

 rigid bit. Also he alludes to the custom of 

 wearing spurs, and describes incidentally the con- 

 struction of the prick spurs then in vogue. 



In this connection it is interesting to note that 

 a bit was discovered in the Acropolis of Athens 

 some twenty years ago, which, so it is said, dates 

 back to the early Persian wars of 490-479 B.C. 



