SAVAGE .HACK-HOUSES. 185 



be subjugated by violence, and coercion which may in 

 some way injure him for the purpose he has been bred, 

 but which never ought to have been rendered necessary, 

 and which would never have become so, had only fa- 

 miliarities with mankind and their wishes been brought 

 about from the first by gentleness, caresses, and reward. 

 There are few towns in England, Ireland, or Scot- 

 land, where the traveller will fail to meet with an 

 arrogant, self-taught horse-breaker, with his heavy 

 mouthing bits, cutting whip, and sharp, spurred boots, 

 whose principal business is not so much to teach, but 

 to tease and torture the poor ignorant colt into a state 

 of frenzy, and then take credit for abusing and terrifying 

 him into submission by the infliction of acute pain and 

 physical means alone. To attempt to teach or argue 

 with such men as these is the most certain method to 

 bring upon yourself a torrent of abuse, and very possibly 

 provoke a breach of the peace. On the other hand, it 

 must be admitted that we have many horse-trainers 

 who are what they profess to be, viz., men with an 

 average amount of common sense, having a thorough 

 knowledge of the horse's nature and capacities, which 

 they have minutely studied ; and they treat every colt 

 that is submitted to them as a pupil, and not as a slave 

 or an enemy ; and they have, nevertheless, a sufficiency 

 of courage and self-possession, combined with skill and 

 judgment, to nip in the bud any act of undue rebellion, 

 or disobedience on the part of the colt, without un- 

 necessary violence or punishment, by way of revenge or 



