on horsemanship-第9章

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That　is　to　say；　by　dragging　the　mouth　up　they　render　the　horse　blind



instead　of　alive　to　what　is　in　front　of　him；　and　what　with　spurring



and　whipping　they　distract　the　creature　to　the　point　of　absolute



bewilderment　and　danger。＇1＇　Feats　indeed！the　feats　of　horses　with　a



strong　dislike　to　being　riddenup　to　all　sorts　of　ugly　and　ungainly



tricks。　On　the　contrary；　let　the　horse　be　taught　to　be　ridden　on　a



loose　bridle；　and　to　hold　his　head　high　and　arch　his　neck；　and　you



will　practically　be　making　him　perform　the　very　acts　which　he　himself



delights　or　rather　exults　in；　and　the　best　proof　of　the　pleasure　which



he　takes　is；　that　when　he　is　let　loose　with　other　horses；　and　more



particularly　with　mares；　you　will　see　him　rear　his　head　aloft　to　the



full　height；　and　arch　his　neck　with　nervous　vigour；＇2＇　pawing　the　air



with　pliant　legs＇3＇　and　waving　his　tail　on　high。　By　training　him　to



adopt　the　very　airs　and　graces　which　he　naturally　assumes　when　showing



off　to　best　advantage；　you　have　got　what　you　are　aiming　ata　horse



that　delights　in　being　ridden；　a　splendid　and　showy　animal；　the　joy　of



all　beholders。







＇1＇　Al。　〃the　animals　are　so　scared　that；　the　chances　are；　they　are



　　　　thrown　into　disorder。〃







＇2＇　｛gorgoumenos｝；　with　pride　and　spirit；　but　with　a　suggestion　of



　　　　〃fierceness　and　rage；〃　as　of　Job's　war…horse。







＇3＇　〃Mollia　crura　reponit；〃　Virg。　〃Georg。〃　iii。　76；　Hom。　〃Hymn。　ad



　　　　Merc。〃







How　these　desirable　results　are；　in　our　opinion；　to　be　produced；　we



will　now　endeavour　to　explain。　In　the　first　place；　then；　you　ought　to



have　at　least　two　bits。　One　of　these　should　be　smooth；　with　discs　of　a



good　size；　the　other　should　have　heavy　and　flat　discs＇4＇　studded　with



sharp　spikes；　so　that　when　the　horse　seizes　it　and　dislikes　the



roughness　he　will　drop　it；　then　when　the　smooth　is　given　him　instead；



he　is　delighted　with　its　smoothness；　and　whatever　he　has　learnt　before



upon　the　rough；　he　will　perform　with　greater　relish　on　the　smooth。　He



may　certainly；　out　of　contempt　for　its　very　smoothness；　perpetually



try　to　get　a　purchase　on　it；　and　that　is　why　we　attach　large　discs　to



the　smooth　bit；　the　effect　of　which　is　to　make　him　open　his　mouth；　and



drop　the　mouthpiece。　It　is　possible　to　make　the　rough　bit　of　every



degree　of　roughness　by　keeping　it　slack　or　taut。







＇4＇　See　Morgan；　op。　cit。　p。　144　foll。







But；　whatever　the　type　of　bit　may　be；　let　it　in　any　case　be　flexible。



If　it　be　stiff；　at　whatever　point　the　horse　seizes　it　he　must　take　it



up　bodily　against　his　jaws；　just　as　it　does　not　matter　at　what　point　a



man　takes　hold　of　a　bar　of　iron；＇5＇　he　lifts　it　as　a　whole。　The　other



flexibly　constructed　type　acts　like　a　chain　（only　the　single　point　at



which　you　hold　it　remains　stiff；　the　rest　hangs　loose）；　and　while



perpetually　hunting　for　the　portion　which　escapes　him；　he　lets　the



mouthpiece　go　from　his　bars。＇6＇　For　this　reason　the　rings　are　hung　in



the　middle　from　the　two　axles；＇7＇　so　that　while　feeling　for　them　with



his　tongue　and　teeth　he　may　neglect　to　take　the　bit　up　against　his



jaws。







＇5＇　Or；　〃poker；〃　as　we　might　say；　lit。　〃spit。〃







＇6＇　Schneid。　cf。　Eur。　〃Hippol。〃　1223。







＇7＇　See　Morgan；　note　ad　loc。　Berenger　（i。　261）　notes：　〃We　have　a　small



　　　　chain　in　the　upset　or　hollow　part　of　our　bits；　called　a　'Player；'



　　　　with　which　the　horse　playing　with　his　tongue；　and　rolling　it



　　　　about；　keeps　his　mouth　moist　and　fresh；　and；　as　Xenophon　hints；　it



　　　　may　serve　likewise　to　fix　his　attention　and　prevent　him　from



　　　　writhing　his　mouth　about；　or　as　the　French　call　it；　'faire　ses



　　　　forces。'〃







To　explain　what　is　meant　by　flexible　and　stiff　as　applied　to　a　bit；　we



will　describe　the　matter。　A　flexible　bit　is　one　in　which　the　axles



have　their　points　of　junction　broad　and　smooth；＇8＇　so　as　to　bend



easily；　and　where　the　several　parts　fitting　round　the　axles；　being



large　of　aperture　and　not　too　closely　packed；　have　greater



flexibility；　whereas；　if　the　several　parts　do　not　slide　to　and　fro



with　ease；　and　play　into　each　other；　that　is　what　we　call　a　stiff　bit。



Whatever　the　kind　of　bit　may　be；　the　rider　must　carry　out　precisely



the　same　rules　in　using　it；　as　follows；　if　he　wishes　to　turn　out　a



horse　with　the　qualities　described。　The　horse's　mouth　is　not　to　be



pulled　back　too　harshly　so　as　to　make　him　toss　his　head　aside；　nor　yet



so　gently　that　he　will　not　feel　the　pressure。　But　the　instant　he



raises　his　neck　in　answer　to　the　pull；　give　him　the　bit　at　once；　and



so　throughout；　as　we　never　cease　repeating；　at　every　response　to　your



wishes；　whenever　and　wherever　the　animal　performs　his　service　well；＇9＇



reward　and　humour　him。　Thus；　when　the　rider　perceives　that　the　horse



takes　a　pleasure　in　the　high　arching　and　supple　play　of　his　neck；　let



him　seize　the　instant　not　to　impose　severe　exertion　on　him；　like　a



taskmaster；　but　rather　to　caress　and　coax　him；　as　if　anxious　to　give



him　a　rest。　In　this　way　the　horse　will　be　encouraged　and　fall　into　a



rapid　pace。







＇8＇　i。e。　〃the　ends　of　the　axles　（at　the　point　of　junction）　which　work



　　　　into　each　other　are　broad　and　smooth；　so　as　to　play　freely　at　the



　　　　join。〃







＇9＇　〃Behaves　compliantly。〃







That　a　horse　takes　pleasure　in　swift　movement；　may　be　shown



conclusively。　As　soon　as　he　has　got　his　liberty；　he　sets　off　at　a　trot



or　gallop；　never　at　a　walking　pace；　so　natural　and　instinctive　a



pleasure　does　this　action　afford　him；　if　he　is　not　forced　to　perform



it　to　excess；　since　it　is　true　of　horse　and　man　alike　that　nothing　is



pleasant　if　carried　to　excess。＇10＇







＇10＇　L。　Dind。　cf。　Eur。　〃Med。〃　128；　｛ta　de'　uperballont　oudena　kairon｝。







But　now　suppose　he　has　attained　to　the　grand　style　when　riddenwe



have　accustomed　him　of　course　in　his　first　exercise　to　wheel　and　fall



into　a　canter　simultaneously；　assuming　then；　he　has　got　that　lesson



well　by　heart；　if　the　rider　pulls　him　up　with　the　bit　while



simultaneously　giving　him　one　of　the　signals　to　be　off；　the　horse；



galled　on　the　one　hand　by　the　bit；　and　on　the　other　collecting　himself



in　obedience　to　the　signal　〃off；〃　will　throw　forward　his　chest　and



raise　his　legs　aloft　with　fiery　spirit；　though　not　indeed　with



suppleness；　for　the　supple　play　of　the　limbs　ceases　as　soon　as　the



horse　feels　annoyance。　But　now；　supposing　when　his　fire　is　thus



enkindled＇11＇　you　give　him　the　rein；　the　effect　is　instantaneous。



Under　the　pleasurable　sense　of　freedom；　thanks　to　the　relaxation　of



the　bit；　with　stately　bearing　and　legs　pliantly　moving　he　dashes



forward　in　his　pride；　in　every　respect　imitating　the　airs　and　graces



of　a　horse　approaching　other　horses。　Listen　to　the　epithets　with　which



spectators　will　describe　the　type　of　horse：　the　noble　animal！　and　what



willingness　to　work；　what　paces；＇12＇　what　a　spirit　and　what　mettle；



how　proudly　he　bears　himself＇13＇a　joy　at　once；　and　yet　a　terror　to



behold。







＇11＇　Cf。　〃Hell。〃　V。　iv。　46；　〃kindled　into　new　life。〃







＇12＇　｛ipposten｝；　〃a　true　soldier's　horse。〃







＇13＇　｛sobaron｝；　〃what　a　push　and　swagger〃；　｛kai　ama　edun　te　kai　gorgon



　　　　idein｝；　〃a　la　fois　doux　et　terrible　a　voir；〃　see　Victor



　　　　Cherbuliez；　〃Un　Cheval　de　Phidias；〃　p。　148。







Thus　far　on　this　topic；　these　notes　may　serve　perhaps　to　meet　a



special　need。















XI







If；　however；　the　wish　is　to　secure　a　horse　adapted　to　parade　and　state



processions；　a　high　stepper　and　a　showy＇1＇　animal；　these　are　qualities



not　to　be　found　combined　in　every　horse；　but　to　begin　wit