OF HORSEMANSHIP. 19 



CHAP. III. 



Of Difobedience in Horfes, and the Means to correSi it, 



DISOBEDIENCE in Horfes is more frequently 

 owing to the want of Skill in the Horfeman, than 



proceeding from any natural Iniperfedions in the Horfe ; in 



effedt, three things may give rife to it, Ignorance, a bad 



Temper, and an Incapacity in the Animal to do what is 



required of him. 



If a Horfe is ignorant of what you expe£l him to do, and 

 you prefs him, he will rebel, nothing is more common ; 

 teach him then, and he will know ; a frequent Repetition 

 of the Leffons will convert this Knowledge into a Habit, 

 and you will reduce him to the moft exadt Obedience. 



He refufes perhaps to obey, this Fault may arife either 

 from Ill-humour, Dullnefs, or from too much Mettle ; it 

 often is the Effed: of the two lirft Vices, fometimes the 

 Refult of all the three. In either, or all thefe Inftances, 

 recourfe muft be had to Rigour, but it muft be ufed with 

 Caution ; for we muft not forget, that the Hopes of Re- 

 compence have as great an Influence over the Undcrftanding 

 of the Animal, as the Fear of Punifliment. Perhaps he is 

 not able to execute what you afk of him ; examine him, 

 fomething may be amifs in fome Part of his Body, or per- 

 haps in the whole Body ; he may be deficient, he may 

 -want Strength, or not be light enough j perhaps he is de- 



D 2 licicnt 



