THE SCIENTIFIC EQUITATION 



usefulness of his art by training horses already 

 made nearly perfect by nature. The test of his 

 science and his utility lies in his ability to correct 

 the natural defects of an ordinary animal and make 

 it useful. 



But how can a teacher of this art direct his pupils, 

 if he does not himself understand the importance, 

 direct or indirect, of what he teaches? " An ounce 

 of prevention," says the proverb, "is worth a 

 pound of cure." Riding-masters, teach your learn- 

 ers correct seat and correct effects, in order that 

 they may not themselves lame their horses! 



To take now an example of a very different sort, 

 I have seen, in the course of a lifetime passed in 

 studying horses, some that were near perfection 

 after their education was finished, but not before. 

 One and all, before they were trained, they had 

 some defect of conformation or of temper. Further- 

 more, I have particularly noticed that physical de- 

 fect has a great influence on the temper. For if a 

 horse has the conformation and the strength to 

 accomplish what the rider asks, it makes no differ- 

 ence what the service may be, the horse will try its 

 best if only it is treated with humanity and intel- 

 ligence. But if a horse is weak, or badly conformed, 

 or too young for the task put upon it, notwithstand- 

 ing all its good-will it cannot obey for lack of physi- 

 cal power. It tries, fails, and refuses. If then, the 

 rider, neither humane nor intelligent, treats the 

 horse brutally or unjustly, the animal's retentive 



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