RESISTANCES OF THE HORSE. 69 



the bit, breaks into a gallop, and goes faster and 

 faster until he is at full speed ; and, once arrived at 

 this point, he is quite capable of running straight into 

 a wall or jumping over a precipice. 



Some high authorities maintain that this state of 

 the horse is one of temporary insanity ; and this the- 

 ory is admissible in certain cases where, when the ani- 

 mal is stopped, the nostrils are found to be very red 

 and the eyes bloodshot ; but, in most cases, horses 

 run away through sudden fright, or from fear of pun- 

 ishment, or because they are in pain from one cause 

 or another. When a horse is subject to this fault, 

 his rider should give him to a man, either a skilled 

 amateur or a professional rider, as I have seen very 

 few ladies who could undertake the proper treatment 

 without danger. 



Such a horse being put into my hands for train- 

 ing, I take him to some place where the footing is 

 good and where he can have plenty of space, which 

 means plenty of time for me ; and, once there, I pro- 

 voke him to run away, in order that I may find out 

 why he does so. If he fights against my hand, shuts 

 his mouth, or throws his head in the air, as soon as he 

 has stopped I carefully examine his mouth, his throat, 

 his breathing, his sight, his loins, and his houghs. 

 Sometimes the mouth is without saliva, the lips are 

 rough and irritated, the bars are dry, bruised, and 

 even cut ; and in that case I try to see whether the 

 bad habit does not come from severe bitting, or too 

 tight a curb-chain, or perhaps the teeth may be in 



