CHAPTER XXVI 



SOME NOTABLE HORSE-BREAKERS 



One of the most famous horse-breakers and trainers of the 

 last generation was Seffart, Master of the Horse to the 

 Margrave of Anspach. Once, when Lord Rivers was stay- 

 ing with the Marquis of Bute, the former remarked upon 

 a splendid-looking thoroughbred being led by a groom. 

 ** Oh, that brute," said the Marquis ; " he's going to the 

 kennel for the hounds to eat. There is no managing him ; 

 he has killed one groom, and maimed several." 



" Send him to my friend Seffart," answered Lord Rivers ; 

 " if he had killed forty men he'd tame him." Accordingly, 

 the horse was sent to Seffart, at Bath, and after a while the 

 trainer made him one of the most perfect-mannered horses 

 in England. " I remember," said his son, when telling the 

 story, " seeing him lie down with my father in the road. 

 He only said, ' My poor fellow, it's a pity you give yourself 

 so much trouble. You'll have to get up with me again.' 

 And so he did. He never hit him, but just waited, and the 

 horse got up with him at last." 



" My father," adds his son, " was very patient in breaking 

 horses — though that is a wrong term : they don't want to 

 be broken, but to be taught what you want them to do. 

 At the same time, my father was determined that they should 

 do what was required of them, and, when they had done 

 it, always rewarded them with a piece of sugar, carrot, or 

 something that they liked, and he never made them repeat 

 anything so as to sicken them of it. When he was certain 

 they knew what was wanted of them and would not do it, he 

 would give them one smart blow across the neck with a cane. 

 He said, ' If you do hit them, make them feel it ' ; and he 

 thought a blow round the neck had more effect than any- 



