24 XENOPHON ON HORSEMANSHIP. 



of the purchaser. Next we ought to observe 

 how he receives the rider upon his back ; a 

 good many horses hardly let come near them 

 things who^e very approach is a sign that 

 there is work to be done. This, too, must 

 be observed, — whether, when mounted, he 

 is willing to leave other horses, or whether, 

 when ridden near horses that are standing 

 still, he runs away towards them. Some 

 horses, also, from bad training take flight 

 towards home from the riding-grounds. The 

 exercise called the Volte '^ shows up a hard 

 mouth, and even more the practice of chang- 

 ing the direction. Many horses do not try 

 to run away unless the mouth is hard on the 

 same side with the road for a bolt towards 

 home. '9 Then you must know whether, 

 when let out at full speed, he will come 

 to the poise and be willing to turn round. 

 It is not a bad thing to try whether he is 

 just as ready to mind when roused by a blow 

 as he was before. A disobedient servant is 

 of course a useless thing, and so is a dis- 

 obedient army; a disobedient horse is not 

 only useless, but he often plays the part of a 

 very traitor. 



