PURCHASIKa H0ESE3. 163 



is to the horse's fear of a fall, and knowing his busi- 

 ness, we are mainly indebted for our safety. We 

 want him to use all the instinct, or seuse, or what- 

 ever it may be called, in measuring his leap, and to 

 use all the practical acts he has been taught, to do it 

 in the safest way. It is, therefore, all but an act of 

 insanity to cause the dread of punishment to interfere 

 with this exertion of instinct ; we, in fact, drive all 

 attention to what he has been practically taught out 

 of his head — for we will suppose even instinct ema- 

 nates from the brain. The unthinking votaries of 

 this 'bull-riding' may say 'Pooh pooh, nonsense ! 1 

 don't want the horse to use his instinct or knowledge ; 

 I only want him to make exertion ; I will decide 

 where he is to take off, and so forth.' This is all 

 very fine ; but, good sir, you cannot decide where 

 he ' is to take off, and so forth.' He must, after all, 

 take off when he can and where he can ; and if vou, 

 by your bull-riding, do force him to take off at the 

 moment you wish, and not at the time he ought, 

 or if not frightened would have probably done, if he 

 comes dovrn, who is to blame ? It will be found to 



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