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on horsemanship-第7节

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pulling him up short'8' the rider should lean back; and thus escape a



shock。 In leaping a ditch or tearing up a steep incline; it is no bad



plan to let go the reins and take hold of the mane; so that the animal



may not feel the burthen of the bit in addition to that of the ground。



In going down a steep incline the rider must throw himself right back



and hold in the horse with the bit; to prevent himself being hurled



headforemost down the slope himself if not his horse。







'7' Or; 〃to each set of occurrences。〃







'8' Al。 〃when the horse is being brought to a poise〃 (Morgan); and see



    Hermann ap。 Schneid。; {analambanein} = retinere equum; anhalten;



    pariren。 i。e。 〃rein in〃 of the 〃Parade。〃







It is a correct principle to vary these exercises; which should be



gone through sometimes in one place and sometimes in another; and



should sometimes be shorter and sometimes longer in duration。 The



horse will take much more kindly to them if you do not confine him to



one place and one routine。







Since it is a matter of prime necessity that the rider should keep his



seat; while galloping full speed on every sort of ground; and at the



same time be able to use his weapons with effect on horseback; nothing



could be better; where the country suits and there are wild animals;



than to practise horsemanship in combination with the chase。 But when



these resources fail; a good exercise may be supplied in the combined



efforts of two horsemen。'9' One of them will play the part of



fugitive; retreating helter…skelter over every sort of ground; with



lance reversed and plying the butt end。 The other pursues; with



buttons on his javelins and his lance similarly handled。'10' Whenever



he comes within javelin range he lets fly at the retreating foeman



with his blunted missiles; or whenever within spear thrust he deals



the overtaken combatant a blow。 In coming to close quarters; it is a



good plan first to drag the foeman towards oneself; and then on a



sudden to thrust him off; that is a device to bring him to the



ground。'11' The correct plan for the man so dragged is to press his



horse forward: by which action the man who is being dragged is more



likely to unhorse his assailant than to be brought to the ground



himself。







'9' {ippota}。 A poetic word; 〃cavaliers。〃







'10' Or; 〃manipulated。〃







'11' Or; 〃that may be spoken off as the 'purl trick'〃; 〃it will



    unhorse him if anything。〃







If it ever happens that you have an enemy's camp in front; and cavalry



skirmishing is the order of the day (at one time charging the enemy



right up to the hostile battle…line; and again beating a retreat);



under these circumstances it is well to bear in mind that so long as



the skirmisher is close to his own party;'12' valour and discretion



alike dictate to wheel and charge in the vanguard might and main; but



when he finds himself in close proximity to the foe; he must keep his



horse well in hand。 This; in all probability; will enable him to do



the greatest mischief to the enemy; and to receive least damage at his



hands。







'12' See 〃Hipparch;〃 viii。 23。







The gods have bestowed on man; indeed; the gift of teaching man his



duty by means of speech and reasoning; but the horse; it is obvious;



is not open to instruction by speech and reasoning。 If you would have



a horse learn to perform his duty; your best plan will be; whenever he



does as you wish; to show him some kindness in return; and when he is



disobedient to chastise him。 This principle; though capable of being



stated in a few words; is one which holds good throughout the whole of



horsemanship。 As; for instance; a horse will more readily take the



bit; if each time he accepts it some good befalls him; or; again; he



will leap ditches and spring up embankments and perform all the other



feats incumbent on him; if he be led to associate obedience to the



word of command with relaxation。'13'







'13' Lit。 〃if every time he performs the word of command he is led to



    expect some relaxation。〃















IX







The topics hitherto considered have been: firstly; how to reduce the



chance of being cheated in the purchase of a colt or full…grown horse;



secondly; how to escape as much as possible the risk of injuring your



purchase by mishandling; and lastly; how to succeed in turning out a



horse possessed of all the qualities demanded by the cavalry soldier



for the purposes of war。







The time has come perhaps to add a few suggestions; in case the rider



should be called upon to deal with an animal either unduly spirited or



again unduly sluggish in disposition。 The first point to recognise is;



that temper of spirit in a horse takes the place of passion or anger



in a man; and just as you may best escape exciting a man's ill…temper



by avoiding harshness of speech and act; so you will best avoid



enraging a spirited horse by not annoying him。 Thus; from the first



instant; in the act of mounting him; you should take pains to minimise



the annoyance; and once on his back you should sit quiet for longer



than the ordinary time; and so urge him forward by the gentlest signs



possible; next; beginning at the slowest pace; gradually work him into



a quicker step; but so gradually that he will find himself at full



speed without noticing it。'1' Any sudden signal will bewilder a



spirited horse; just as a man is bewildered by any sudden sight or



sound or other experience。 'I say one should be aware that any



unexpected shock will produce disturbance in a horse。''2'







'1' Or; 〃so that the horse may insensibly fall into a gallop。〃







'2' L。 Dindorf and others bracket; as spurious。







So if you wish to pull up a spirited horse when breaking off into a



quicker pace than requisite; you must not suddenly wrench him; but



quietly and gently bring the bit to bear upon him; coaxing him rather



than compelling him to calm down。 It is the long steady course rather



than the frequent turn which tends to calm a horse。'3' A quiet pace



sustained for a long time has a caressing;'4' soothing effect; the



reverse of exciting。 If any one proposes by a series of fast and oft…



repeated gallops to produce a sense of weariness in the horse; and so



to tame him; his expectation will not be justified by the result; for



under such circumstances a spirited horse will do his best to carry



the day by main force;'5' and with a show of temper; like a passionate



man; may contrive to bring on himself and his rider irreparable



mischief。







'3' Or; 〃long stretches rather than a succession of turns and counter



    turns;〃 {apostrophai}。







'4' Reading {katapsosi} with L。 Dind。







'5' {agein bia}; vi agere; vi uti; Sturz; al。 〃go his own gait by



    sheer force。〃







A spirited horse should be kept in check; so that he does not dash off



at full speed; and on the same principle; you should absolutely



abstain from setting him to race against another; as a general rule;



your fiery…spirited horse is only too fond of contention。'6'







'6' Reading {skhedon gar kai phil oi thum}; or if {。 。 。 oi thil kai



    th。} transl。 〃the more eager and ambitious a horse is; the more



    mettlesome he will tend to become。〃







Smooth bits are better and more serviceable than rough; if a rough bit



be inserted at all; it must be made to resemble a smooth one as much



as possible by lightness of hand。







It is a good thing also for the rider to accustom himself to keep a



quiet seat; especially when mounted on a spirited horse; and also to



touch him as little as possible with anything except that part of the



body necessary to secure a firm seat。







Again; it should be known that the conventional 〃chirrup〃'7' to quiet



and 〃cluck〃 to rouse a horse are a sort of precept of the training



school; and supposing any one from the beginning chose to associate



soft soothing actions with the 〃cluck〃 sound; and harsh rousing



actions with the 〃chirrup;〃 the horse could be taught to rouse himself



at the 〃chirrup〃 and to calm himself at the 〃cluck〃 sound。 On this



principle; at the sound of the trumpet or the shout of battle the



rider should avoid coming up to his charger in a state of excitement;



or; indeed; bringing any disturbing influence to bear on the animal。



As far as possible; at such a crisis he should halt and rest him; and;



if circumstances permit; give him his morning or his evening meal。 But



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