第 3 节
作者:九十八度      更新:2021-02-20 16:02      字数:9322
  is gentle; tractable; and affectionate;'7' when delivered to the professional
  trainer。   That   is   a   condition   of   things   which   for   the   most   part   may   be
  brought   about   at   home   and   by   the   groomif   he   knows   how   to   let   the
  animal      connect'8'     hunger     and   thirst   and   the   annoyance      of   flies  with
  solitude;   whilst   associating   food   and   drink   and   escape   from   sources   of
  irritation    with    the   presence     of  man。    As    the   result   of  this   treatment;
  necessarily   the   young   horse   will   acquirenot   fondness   merely;   but   an
  absolute craving for human beings。 A good deal can be done by touching;
  stroking; patting those parts of the body which the creature likes to have so
  handled。      These    are   the   hairiest   parts;   or   where;    if  there   is  anything
  annoying him; the horse can least of all apply relief himself。
  '1'   Or;   〃The   training   of   the   colt   is   a   topic   which;   as   it   seems   to   us;
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  may fairly be omitted; since those appointed for cavalry service                             in
  these states are persons who;〃 etc。 For reading see Courier;                         〃Notes;〃
  p。 84。
  '2' 〃Organisation in the several states。〃
  '3'    Or;  〃As    a  matter    of  fact   it  is  the  wealthiest    members       of  the
  state;   and   those   who   have   the   largest   stake   in   civic   life;   that       are
  appointed to cavalry duties。〃 See 〃Hippparch;〃 i。 9。
  '4' Cf。 〃Econ。〃 iii。 10。
  '5' {ego}。 Hitherto the author has used the plural {emin} with which
  he started。
  '6' Reading   {upodeigmata};  〃finger…post signs;〃   as it   were; or   〃draft
  in outline〃; al。 {upomnemata} = 〃memoranda。〃
  '7' 〃Gentle; and accustomed to the hand; and fond of man。〃
  '8'   Lit。   〃if  he   knows    how   to   provide     that   hunger    and   thirst;  etc。;
  should   be   felt   by   the   colt   in   solitude;   whilst   food   and   drink;       etc。;
  come through help of man。〃
  The   groom   should   have   standing   orders   to   take   his   charge   through
  crowds; and to make him familiar with all sorts of sights and noises; and if
  the colt shows sign of apprehension at them;'9' he must teach himnot by
  cruel; but by gentle handlingthat they are not really formidable。
  '9' Or; 〃is disposed to shy。〃
  On this topic; then; of training;'10' the rules here given will; I think;
  suffice for any private individual。
  '10'    Or;   〃In   reference     to   horsebreaking;      the   above     remarks     will
  perhaps be found sufficient for the practical guidance of an                       amateur。〃
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  III
  To meet the case in which the object is to buy a horse already fit for
  riding;    we    will   set   down     certain   memoranda;'1'        which;     if  applied
  intelligently; may save the purchaser from being cheated。
  '1' 〃Which the purchaser should lay to   heart; if   he does not wish   to
  be cheated。〃
  First; then; let there be no mistake about the age。 If the horse has lost
  his mark teeth;'2' not only will the purchaser's hopes be blighted; but he
  may find himself saddled for ever with a sorry bargain。'3'
  '2'    Or;  〃the   milk    teeth;〃   i。e。  is  more    than   five   years    old。  See
  Morgan; p。 126。
  '3'   Lit。   〃a  horse    that  has   lost  his   milk   teeth   cannot    be   said  to
  gladden      his  owner's    mind    with   hopes;    and   is  not   so  easily   disposed
  of。〃
  Given that the fact of youth is well established; let there be no mistake
  about   another   matter:   how   does   he   take   the   bit   into   his   mouth   and   the
  headstall'4' over his ears? There need be little ambiguity on this score; if
  the purchaser will see the bit inserted and again removed; under his eyes。
  Next; let it be carefully noted how the horse stands being mounted。 Many
  horses   are   extremely   loath   to   admit   the   approach   of   anything   which;   if
  once accepted; clearly means to them enforced exertion。
  '4' {koruphaia}; part of the {khalinos} gear。
  Another point to ascertain is whether the horse; when mounted; can be
  induced to leave other horses; or when being ridden past a group of horses
  standing; will not bolt off to join the company。 Some horses again; as the
  result of bad training; will run away from the exercising…ground and make
  for   the stable。 A hard   mouth   may  be   detected  by  the   exercise   called  the
  {pede} or volte;'5' and still more so by varying the direction of the volte
  to right or left。 Many horses will not attempt to run away except for the
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  concurrence of a bad mouth along with an avenue of escape home。'6'
  '5'   See   Sturz;   s。v。;   Pollux;   i。   219。   Al。   〃the   longe;〃   but   the   passage
  below (vii。 14) is suggestive rather of the volte。
  '6' Al。 〃will only attempt to bolt where the passage out towards home
  combines; as it were; with a bad mouth。〃 {e 。 。 。 ekphora} = 〃the                        exit
  from the manege or riding school。〃
  Another point which it is necessary to learn is; whether when let go at
  full   speed   the   horse   can   be   pulled   up'7'   sharp   and   is   willing   to   wheel
  round in obedience to the rein。
  '7'     {analambanetai};         〃come       to    the    poise〃     (Morgan)。       For
  {apostrephesthai} see ix。6; tech。 〃caracole。〃
  It is also well to ascertain by experience if the horse you propose to
  purchase   will   show   equal   docility   in   response   to   the   whip。   Every   one
  knows what a useless thing a servant is; or a body of troops; that will not
  obey。 A disobedient horse is not only useless; but may easily play the part
  of an arrant traitor。
  And since it is assumed that the horse to be purchased is intended for
  war;   we   must   widen   our   test   to   include   everything   which   war   itself   can
  bring to the proof: such as leaping ditches; scrambling over walls; scaling
  up and springing off high banks。 We must test his paces by galloping him
  up and down steep pitches and sharp inclines and along a slant。 For each
  and all of these will serve as a touchstone to gauge the endurance of his
  spirit and the soundness of his body。
  I am far from saying; indeed; that because an animal fails to perform
  all these parts to perfection; he must straightway be rejected; since many a
  horse will fall short at first; not from inability; but from want of experience。
  With teaching; practice; and habit; almost any horse will come to perform
  all these feats beautifully; provided he be sound and free from vice。 Only
  you must beware of a horse that is naturally of a nervous temperament。 An
  over…timorous       animal     will  not   only   prevent    the   rider  from    using    the
  vantage…ground   of its   back   to   strike   an   enemy;  but   is   as likely  as   not   to
  bring him to earth himself and plunge him into the worst of straits。
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  We   must;   also;   find   out   of   the   horse   shows   any  viciousness   towards
  other horses or towards human beings; also; whether he is skittish;'8' such
  defects are apt to cause his owner trouble。
  '8' Or; 〃very ticklish。〃
  As   to   any  reluctance   on   the   horse's   part   to   being   bitted   or   mounted;
  dancing and twisting about and the rest;'9' you will get a more exact idea
  on   this   score;   if;   when   he   has   gone   through   his   work;   you   will   try   and
  repeat   the   precise   operations   which   he   went   through   before   you   began
  your   ride。   Any   horse   that   having   done   his   work   shows   a   readiness   to
  undergo      it  all  again;   affords    sufficient    evidence     thereby    of   spirit  and
  endurance。
  '9'  Reading   {talla   dineumata};   lit。  〃and   the  rest   of   his   twistings   and
  twirlings about。〃
  To put the matter in a nutshell: given that the horse is sound…footed;
  gentle;   moderately   fast;   willing   and   able   to   undergo   toil;   and   above   all
  things'10' obedientsuch an animal; we venture to predict; will give the
  least trouble and the greatest security to his rider in the circumsta