USE OF THE SPURS. 153 



the physical from the moral horse, and force 

 these impressions to concentrate in the brain. 

 He will then be a furious madman, whose 

 limbs we have bound to prevent him from 

 carrying his frenzied thoughts into execu- 

 tion. 



The best proof we have that the prompt- 

 ness of a horse in responding to the effect 

 of the legs and spurs, is not caused by a 

 sensibility of the flanks, but rather by great 

 action joined to bad formation, is that the 

 same action is not so manifest in a well- 

 formed horse, and that the latter bears the 

 spur much better than one whose equili- 

 brium and organization are inferior. 



But the spur is not only useful in mode- 

 rating the too great energy of horses of much 

 action ; its effect being equally good in com- 

 bating that disposition which leads the ani- 

 mal to throw his centre of gravity too much 

 forward, or back. I would also use it to 



