CHAPTER VI. 37 



refuses it is utterly useless. Now, if the 

 bridle is put on not only when he is going 

 to be worked, but also when he is led to his 

 food and home after exercise, it would not be 

 at all strange if he should seize the bit of his 

 own accord when you hold it out to him. It 

 is well for the groom to understand hovv to put 

 a rider up Persian fashion,35 so that his master, 

 if he gets infirm or has grown oldish, may 

 himself have somebody to mount him hand- 

 ily or may be able to oblige another with a 

 person to mount him. 



The one great precept and practice in 

 using a horse is this, — never deal with him 

 when you are in a fit of passion. A fit of 

 passion is a thing that has no foresight in it, 

 and so we often have to rue the day when we 

 gave way to it. Consequently, when your 

 horse shies at an object and is unwilling to 

 go up to it, he should be shown that there is 

 nothing fearful in it, least of all to a coura- 

 geous horse like him ; ^^ but if this fails, touch 

 the object yourself that seems so dreadful to 

 him, and lead him up to it with gentleness. 

 Compulsion and blows inspire only the more 

 fear ; for when horses are at all hurt at such 



