174 THE HORSE. 



generally, suffer numberless cruel inflictions from ig- 

 norant, unfeeling, and profligate servants ; and espe- 

 cially, in the case of the animals not understanding 

 that which is required of them, or for doing this or 

 that, which they could not be aware was forbidden. 



SECTION XXVII. 



The following detached quotations are from my 

 " History of the Horse," commencing at page 

 189. 



" The general objects of the modern menage, are 

 to unite, truss, or knit the body of the horse, binding 

 his haunches more under him, to give him a graceful 

 and lofty action ; a mouth of the highest delicacy, in 

 order to secure that appui, or reciprocity of feeling 

 between it and the rider's hand, and to teach him 

 movement in every direction, with certain feats of 

 vaulting, for the technical names of which, I must 

 refer to professional books. In few words, to edu- 

 cate the horse in this way, is literally to teach him to 

 dance and to caper ; formerly, for aught I know, also 

 at present, horses on the Continent were accustomed 

 to dance the saraband, and to perform the capriole, 

 that is, to caper like a goat, as the term implies. 

 There is, however, a view of utility, as well as amuse- 

 ment in these feats ; since to be able to sit scientific- 

 ally and securely upon the horse, while he performs 

 them, is the great test of complete horsemanship. 



" Nothing can be more obvious than that the 

 menage is chiefly ornamental ; and that the tho- 

 roughly dressed horse is rather an object of luxu- 



