40 THEORY OF HORSE-CONTROL. 



namely, his memory, in the exercise of which, association 

 of ideas is the most effective stimulus. It is evident that 

 we should give these signals in as clear and uniform a 

 manner as possible, and that their effect should not be com- 

 plicated by that of other influences, such as fear, anger, 

 excitement, or desire to go to a companion. We shall see 

 further on that almost the entire education of the horse 

 depends upon association of ideas. I may give the follow- 

 ing instance of the working of this principle : — A friend of 

 mine had a horse which became so increasingly difficult to 

 mount, that at last he was unable to get on him by ordinary 

 means, on account of the animal "breaking away" the 

 moment he attempted to put his foot into the stirrup. 

 Living near a river, he hit on the expedient of placing the 

 horse with his off side " broadside on," and close to, a steep 

 part of the bank, and then made a feint of mounting on the 

 near side. As usual, when the man's foot touched the iron, 

 the horse swung round, and, on this occasion only, fell 

 down twenty feet into the water. The mental effect of this 

 lesson, which was harmless from a physical point of view, 

 was to make the animal perfectly steady to mount, so long 

 as he stood on the bank of the river and in a position 

 similar to that from which he had had his tumble ; but he 

 was just as difficult as ever to mount anywhere else. It is 

 evident than any such method to be perfect should be 

 of universal, and not of local, application. No doubt this 

 unruly horse would, by many, be deemed a nervous creature 

 and a worthy recipient of a large amount of kindness and 

 petting. I may state that probably the most effective 

 means of applying the principle of association of ideas to 



