DOCILITY OF THE HORSE 213 



in short, no animal in the creation, except the dog, is more 

 docile or more easily instructed. Look at the Arab 

 horses ; see the dams with their foals lying down at the 

 tent entrance, with the children of the desert rolling and 

 scrambling over any part of their bodies. Would these 

 animals harm by tooth or hoof one of their little play- 

 mates ? No. Why, then, are not the English horses as 

 quiet and tractable as these ? Simply, because they do 

 not experience the same kind treatment and early educa- 

 tion of the Arabs. 



See also the difference between the trained hunters of 

 the last century and those of the present time. Formerly 

 great pains were taken with young horses to fit them for 

 the hunting field. At the leaping-bar they were taught 

 to jump either standing or running, and at the word of 

 command to go fast and slow. They were practised over 

 hurdles and other fences, and their education was not 

 hurried over with a few brief lessons as now. A snaffle- 

 bridle mouth being then considered of great importance 

 in a hunter, great pains were taken to make young horses 

 go lightly in hand, with ease to themselves and comfort 

 to their riders, and change readily their paces ; in fact, 

 training then was, as it ever ought to be, a gradual process. 

 What is it now ? A four- or five-year-old horse, when 

 not half-broken, is ridden by a rough rider across country, 

 as it is termed — tumbled into ditches, rolled over gates 

 and hedges, and half -drowned in a brook, and then he is 

 called a hunter ! 



These horses go rushing and dashing at their fences, 

 and must take them in the manner they have been 

 taught, or will not take them at all ; and as for the 

 mouths of many — ^you may as well pull at an aUigator's. 

 I have ridden as bad-tempered horses as any man ever 



