152 METHOD OF HORSEMANSHIP. 



and the bad position resulting therefrom. 

 To a horse of natural action, but with long, 

 weak loins, and bad action behind, every 

 motion backwards is painful ; and the very 

 disposition that leads him to rush ahead, 

 serves him to avoid the pain of the spur. 

 He returns to this movement whenever he 

 feels the rider's legs touch him ; and far from 

 being a spirited horse, he is only scared and 

 crazy. The more he fears the spur, the 

 more he plunges out of hand, and baffles 

 the means intended to make him obedient. 

 There is everything to fear from such a 

 horse ; he will scare at objects from the 

 very ease he possesses of avoiding them. 

 Now since his fright proceeds, so to say, 

 from the bad position we allow him to take, 

 this inconvenience will disappear from the 

 moment we remedy the first cause of it. 

 We must confine the forces in order to pre- 

 vent every displacement. We must separate 



