UNDERSTANDING OUR SIGNALS. 41 



the breaking of vicious horses, is one by which the animal 

 arrives at the right conclusion from wrong premises, as with 

 the rope-twitch (see page 346), when making a horse 

 steady to mount. Evidently mistaking the cause of the pain 

 inflicted on him, he connects the idea of punishment with the 

 word " steady," and not with the application of the rope. 

 Were he able to argue rightly on this subject, he would re- 

 main quiet only when the twitch was on, and would entirely 

 disregard the verbal admonition, for which he entertains 

 marked respect. 



If a horse does not understand our signals, and we 

 continue to force them on him, he will, as a rule, become 

 impatient, violent or stubborn. In the horse world, we hear 

 every day the remark that a horse knows when he has a 

 timid rider on his back. My opinion, after long and careful 

 investigation, is that the animal draws no conclusion what- 

 soever as to the state of mind of the man in the saddle ; but 

 that any unaccustomed " defence " which he may make in 

 such a case is due to his becoming confused by the ill- 

 regulated signals which the rider gives him. Although the 

 unhappy man may be entirely unaware that he is transmit- 

 ting these signals ; it is impossible for him to avoid doing 

 so, if he makes the slightest movement with hand, leg, or 

 body. Every such movement is made by the accomplished 

 horseman with, I need hardly say, the purpose of giving a 

 definite and easily understood signal to his mount. 



A horse's respect for signals which he understands, is 

 well proved by the fact that many horses which are 

 habitually " difficult " with ordinary riders, will obey with 

 steadiness and precision the behests of a capable horseman. 



