THE DEFENSES OF THE HORSE 



however, very seldom defend itself against the first 

 sensation of an unknown pain, but only if the pain 

 be prolonged or repeated. Furthermore, a horse 

 does not enter immediately into the state of 

 revolt. 



At the beginning, it simply hesitates to act and 

 move as it has been doing. Then it tries to stop. 

 Finally, it does stop, and thereupon enters into 

 complete rebellion. The moment when the horse 

 first tries to stop is, of course, the point at which the 

 rider should quell the approaching revolt. The 

 rider, therefore, so to say, takes hold of the horse's 

 legs and forces these to carry the body forward, at 

 any gait, in order that the animal may not feel that 

 its limbs have any possibility of stopping. What- 

 ever the horse may think, the rider's only argument 

 is: "Yes; forward and straight." 



Consequent to this first sign of revolt, the refusal 

 to go forward, there is a contraction of the muscles 

 of the spinal column and of the white and yellow 

 cords, the animal is in revolt against the rider and 

 his main controls are lost, and the defenses become 

 possible. These defenses are of four sorts, rearing, 

 kicking, backing, and bolting. All other defenses 

 depend on the possibility of these four primordial 

 ones. 



REFUSAL 



A HORSE refuses when, because of its moral state, it 

 uses its great physical strength to disobey the com- 



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