26 THE MIND OP THE HORSE 



Wlien he desires to carry out any action due 

 to liis own will tliere is usually a brief interval 

 bet>\-.een tlie conceiition of the idea of performing 

 this action and the act of volition which results 

 in its execution. This interval allows us, by avail- 

 ing ourselves of suitable means with the necessary 

 promptness, to prevent the execution of the action 

 he had the idea of carrjdng out. 



Usually when on horseback it is possible to 

 prevent the execution of an idea conceived only 

 in a trained horse, as the trained, i. e. obedient 

 horse is not so decided in carrying out actions due 

 to his own will as the untrained horse and leaves 

 a greater interval between the conception of the 

 idea, and its execution, because the trained horse 

 has learned to obey the aids of the hand and the 

 aids and punishments for exciting him to motion 

 Avhich are eifective in preventing tlie execution of 

 the idea by c;a\ising him to advance, and not allow- 

 ing him the time to take up the necessary posi- 

 tion preparatory to the action. 



The liorse is master of his limbs and if we 

 desire that lie should put them in motion accord- 



