第 4 节
作者:九十八度      更新:2021-02-20 16:02      字数:9322
  least trouble and the greatest security to his rider in the circumstances of
  war; while; conversely; a beast who either out of sluggishness needs much
  driving; or from excess of mettle much coaxing and manouvring; will give
  his rider work enough to occupy both his hands and a sinking of the heart
  when dangers thicken。
  '10' Al。 〃thoroughly。〃
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  On Horsemanship
  IV
  We    will   now    suppose    the  purchaser     has   found    a  horse   which    he
  admires;'1' the purchase is effected; and he has brought him homehow is
  he to be housed? It is best that the stable should be placed in a quarter of
  the    establishment     where     the   master    will  see   the   horse    as  often   as
  possible。'2' It is a good thing also to have his stall so arranged that there
  will be as little risk of the horse's food being stolen from the manger; as of
  the master's from his larder or store… closet。 To neglect a detail of this kind
  is surely to neglect oneself; since in the hour of danger; it is certain; the
  owner   has   to   consign   himself;   life   and   limb;   to   the   safe   keeping   of   his
  horse。
  '1' Lit。 〃To proceed: when you have bought a horse which you admire
  and have brought him home。〃
  '2' i。e。 〃where he will be brought as frequently as possible under the
  master's eye。〃 Cf。 〃Econ。〃 xii。 20。
  Nor is it only to avoid the risk of food being stolen that a secure horse…
  box    is  desirable;   but   for  the  further   reason   that   if  the  horse  takes   to
  scattering     his  food;   the  action   is  at  once   detected;    and   any   one   who
  observes that happening may take it as a sign and symptom either of too
  much     blood;'3'    which    calls  for   veterinary   aid;   or  of  over…fatigue;    for
  which rest is the cure; or else that an attack of indigestion'4' or some other
  malady is coming on。 And just as with human beings; so with the horse; all
  diseases are more curable at their commencement'5' than after they have
  become chronic; or been wrongly treated。'6'
  '3' 〃A plethoric condition of the blood。〃
  '4'   {krithiasis}。    Lit。  〃barley   surfeit〃;   〃une   fourbure。〃     See   Aristot。
  〃H。 A。〃 viii。 24。 4。
  '5' i。e。 〃in the early acute stages。〃
  '6' Al。 〃and the mischief has spread。〃
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  On Horsemanship
  But if food and exercise with a view to strengthening the horse's body
  are matters of prime consideration; no less important is it to pay attention
  to the feet。 A stable with a damp and smooth floor will spoil the best hoof
  which nature can   give。'7' To prevent the floor being   damp; it should   be
  sloped with channels; and to avoid smoothness; paved with cobble stones
  sunk side by side in the ground and similar in size to the horse's hoofs。'8'
  A stable floor of this sort is calculated to strengthen the horse's feet by the
  mere   pressure   on   the   part   in   standing。   In   the   next   place   it   will   be   the
  groom's business to lead out the horse somewhere to comb and curry him;
  and after his morning's feed to unhalter him from the manger;'9' so that he
  may come to his evening meal with greater relish。 To secure the best type
  of stable…yard; and with a view to strengthening the horse's feet; I would
  suggest to take and throw down loosely'10' four or five waggon loads of
  pebbles; each as large as can be grasped in the hand; and about a pound in
  weight;   the   whole   to   be   fenced   round   with   a   skirting   of   iron   to   prevent
  scattering。   The   mere   standing   on   these   will   come   to   precisely   the   same
  thing   as   if   for   a   certain   portion   of   the   day   the   horse   were;   off   and   on;
  stepping along a stony road; whilst being curried or when fidgeted by flies
  he will be forced to use his hoofs just as much as if he were walking。 Nor
  is   it   the   hoofs   merely;   but   a   surface   so   strewn   with   stones   will   tend   to
  harden the frog of the foot also。
  '7' Lit。 〃A damp and smooth floor may be the ruin of a naturally good
  hoof。〃 It will be understood that the Greeks did not shoe their                       horses。
  '8' See Courier; p。 54; for an interesting experiment tried by himself
  at Bari。
  '9' Cf。 〃Hipparch;〃 i。 16。
  '10' Or; 〃spread so as to form a surface。〃
  But if care is needed to make the hoofs hard; similar pains should be
  taken     to  make     the   mouth     and    jaws    soft;  and    the   same    means     and
  appliances   which   will   render   a   man's   flesh   and   skin   soft;   will   serve   to
  soften and supple a horse's mouth。'11'
  '11'    Or;   〃may    be   used    with   like   effect   on  a   horse's   mouth;〃     i。e。
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  On Horsemanship
  bathing; friction; oil。 See Pollux; i。 201。
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  On Horsemanship
  V
  It is   the duty  of a  horseman;  as we  think; to   have his   groom  trained
  thoroughly in all that concerns the treatment of the horse。 In the first place;
  then; the groom should know that he is never to knot the halter'1' at the
  point   where   the   headstall   is   attached   to   the   horse's   head。   By   constantly
  rubbing his head against the manger; if the halter does not sit quite loose
  about his ears; the horse will be constantly injuring himself;'2' and with
  sores   so   set   up;   it   is   inevitable   that   he   should   show   peevishness;   while
  being bitted or rubbed down。            '1' Lit。 〃by which the horse is tied to the
  manger〃; 〃licol d'ecurie。〃
  '2'   Al。   〃in   nine   cases   out   of   ten   he   rubs   his   head   。   。   。   and   ten   to
  one will make a sore。〃
  It is desirable that the groom should be ordered to carry out the dung
  and litter of the horse to some one place each day。 By so doing; he will
  discharge the duty with least trouble to himself;'3' and at the same time be
  doing the horse a kindness。
  '3' Al。 〃get rid of the refuse in the easiest way。〃
  The groom should also be instructed to attach the muzzle to the horse's
  mouth;     both   when    taking    him   out  to  be   groomed     and   to  the   rolling…
  ground。'4' In   fact   he   should   always   muzzle   him  whenever he takes him
  anywhere       without    the   bit。  The   muzzle;     while   it  is  no   hindrance    to
  respiration; prevents biting; and when attached it serves to rob the horse of
  opportunity for vice。'5'
  '4' Cf。 〃Econ。〃 xi。 18; Aristoph。 〃Clouds;〃 32。
  '5' Or; 〃prevents the horse from carrying out vicious designs。〃
  Again; care should be taken to tie the horse up with the halter above
  his head。 A horse's natural instinct; in trying to rid himself of anything that
  irritates the face; is to toss up his head; and by this upward movement; if
  so tied; he only slackens the chain instead of snapping it。 In rubbing the
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  On Horsemanship
  horse down; the groom should begin with the head and mane; as until the
  upper parts are clean; it is vain to cleanse the lower; then; as regards the
  rest   of  the   body;   first  brush   up   the   hair;  by  help   of   all  the  ordinary
  implements for cleansing; and then beat out the dust; following the lie of
  the hair。 The hair on the spine (and dorsal region) ought not to be touched
  with any instrument whatever; the hand alone should be used to rub and
  smooth it; and in the direction of its natural growth; so as to preserve from
  injury that part of the horse's back on which the rider sits。
  The   head   should   be   drenched   with   water   simply;   for;   being   bony;   if
  you try to cleanse it with iron or wooden instruments injury may be caused。
  So; too; the forelock should be merely wetted; the long hairs of which it is
  composed; without hindering the animal's vision; serve to scare away from
  the    eyes    anything     that   might     trouble    them。    Providence;      we    must
  suppose;'6' bestowed these hairs upon the horse; instead of the large ears
  which are given to the ass and the mule as a protection to the eyes。'7' The
  tail; again; and mane should be washed; the object being to help the hairs
  to   growthose   in   the   tail   so   as   to   allow   the   cr