76 Chapters on Animals. 



under him. It is evident that a bad rider must be ex- 

 tremely disagreeable to a horse of refined feeling, disa- 

 greeable as an awkward partner in dancing is disagreeable. 



The intelligence of horses is shown in nothing so much 

 as in their different behaviour under different men. When 

 a thorough horseman gets into the saddle the creature he 

 mounts is aware that there are the strongest reasons for 

 behaving himself properly, and it is only the mad rebels 

 that resist. Not only can a good horseman overcome 

 opposition better than a bad one, but he has much less 

 opposition to overcome. The very best horsemen, amongst 

 gentlemen, are often scarcely even aware of the real diffi- 

 culties of riding, their horses obey them so well, and are so 

 perfectly suited to their work. An English lady who rides 

 admirably, told me that she did not deserve so much credit 

 as she got, because the excellence of her horses made rid- 

 ing quite easy for her, and she declared that even in her 

 boldest leaps the secousse was not very violent. There is a 

 good deal of truth in this, which is often overlooked. The 

 relation between horse and rider is mutual, and each shows 

 the other to advantage. 



Whilst on this subject of riding, let me express a regret 

 that good horsemanship is becoming rarer and rarer in 

 proportion to the numbers of the population. The excel- 

 lence of modern roads, which has led to the universal em- 

 ployment of wheeled carriages, and the introduction of 

 railways, which are now used by all classes for long or 

 rapid journeys, have together reduced horsemanship, in the 

 case of civilians, to the rank of a mere amusement, or an 

 exercise for the benefit of health. In fact, it is coming to 

 this, that nobody but rich men and their grooms will know 

 how to ride on horseback ; whereas in former generations, 



secousse, shock. 



