第 5 节
作者:九十八度      更新:2021-02-20 16:02      字数:9322
  tail; again; and mane should be washed; the object being to help the hairs
  to   growthose   in   the   tail   so   as   to   allow   the   creature   the   greatest   reach
  possible in brushing away molesting objects;'8' and those of the neck in
  order that the rider may have as free a grip as possible。
  '6' Lit。 〃The gods; we must suppose; gave 。 。 。〃
  '7' Lit。 〃as defences or protective bulwarks。〃
  '8' Insects; etc。
  Mane; forelock; and tail are triple gifts bestowed by the gods upon the
  horse for the sake of pride and ornament;'9' and here is the proof: a brood
  mare;   so   long   as   her   mane   is   long   and   flowing;   will   not   readily   suffer
  herself to be covered by an ass; hence breeders of mules take care to clip
  the mane of the mare with a view to covering。'10'
  '9' {aglaias eneka} (a poetic word)。 Cf。 〃Od。〃 xv。 78; xvii。 310。
  '10'   For   this   belief   Schneid。   cf   Aristot。   〃H。   A。〃   vi。   18;   Plin。   viii。
  42; Aelian; 〃H。 A。〃 ii。 10; xi。 18; xii。 16; to which Dr。 Morgan                       aptly
  adds Soph。 〃Fr。〃 587 (Tyro); a beautiful passage; {komes de                         penthos
  lagkhano polou diken; k。t。l。} (cf。 Plut。 〃Mor。〃 754 A)。
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  Washing of the legs we are inclined to dispense withno good is done
  but   rather   harm   to   the   hoofs   by   this   daily   washing。   So;   too;   excessive
  cleanliness of the belly is to be discouraged; the operation itself is most
  annoying to the horse; and the cleaner these parts are made; the thicker the
  swarm   of   troublesome   things   which   collect   beneath   the   belly。   Besides
  which; however elaborately you clean these parts; the horse is no sooner
  led out than presently he will be just as dirty as if he had not been cleaned。
  Omit these ablutions then; we say; and similarly for the legs; rubbing and
  currying by hand is quite sufficient。
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  VI
  We     will  now     explain    how    the   operation    of   grooming      may    be
  performed with least danger to oneself and best advantage to the horse。 If
  the groom attempts to clean the horse with his face turned the same way as
  the horse; he runs the risk of getting a knock in the face from the animal's
  knee or hoof。 When cleaning him he should turn his face in the opposite
  direction to the horse; and planting himself well out of the way of his leg;
  at an angle to his shoulder…blade; proceed to rub him down。 He will then
  escape all mischief; and he will be able to clean the frog by folding back
  the hoof。 Let him clean the hind…legs in the same way。
  The man who has to do with the horse should know; with regard to this
  and all   other  necessary  operations;  that he ought to   approach   as little  as
  possible from the head or the tail to perform them; for if the horse attempt
  to show vice he is master of the man in front and rear。 But by approaching
  from the side he will get the greatest hold over the horse with the least risk
  of injury to himself。
  When the horse has to be led; we do not approve of leading him from
  in front; for the simple reason that the person so leading him robs himself
  of his power of self…protection; whilst he leaves the horse freedom to do
  what he likes。 On the other hand; we take a like exception to the plan of
  training the horse to go forward on a long rein'1' and lead the way; and for
  this   reason:   it   gives   the   horse the   opportunity  of   mischief;  in   whichever
  direction he likes; on either flank; and the power also to turn right about
  and face his driver。 How can a troop of horses be kept free of one another;
  if driven in this fashion from behind?whereas a horse accustomed to be
  led from the side will have least power of mischief to horse or man; and at
  the   same   time   be   in   the   best   position   to   be   mounted   by   the   rider   at   a
  moment's notice; were it necessary。
  '1'  See   a   passage   from  Strattis;  〃Chrys。〃   2   (Pollux;  x。  55);   {prosage
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  ton    polon    atrema;     proslabon     ton   agogea     brakhuteron。       oukh    oras   oti
  abolos estin}。
  In order to insert the bit correctly the groom should; in the first place;
  approach on the near'2' side of the horse; and then throwing the reins over
  his head; let them  drop loosely  on   the   withers; raise the   headstall   in   his
  right hand; and with his left present the bit。 If the horse will take the bit; it
  is a simple business to adjust the strap of the headstall; but if he refuses to
  open his mouth; the groom must hold the bit against the teeth and at the
  same   time   insert   the   thumb'3'   of   his   left   hand   inside   the   horse's   jaws。
  Most horses will open their mouths to that operation。 But if he still refuses;
  then the groom must press the lip against the tush'4'; very few horses will
  refuse the bit; when that is done to them。'5'
  '2' Lit。 〃on the left…hand side。〃
  '3' {ton megan daktulon}; Hdt。 iii。 8。
  '4' i。e。 〃canine tooth。〃
  '5'   Or;   〃it   is   a   very   exceptional   horse   that   will   not   open   his   mouth
  under the circumstances。〃
  The groom can hardly be too much alive to the following points * * *
  if any work is to be done:'6' in fact; so important is it that the horse should
  readily take his bit;  that; to put   it   tersely;  a   horse that   will not take   it   is
  good for nothing。 Now; if the horse be bitted not only when he has work to
  do; but also when he is being taken to his food and when he is being led
  home from a ride; it would be no great marvel if he learnt to take the bit of
  his own accord; when first presented to him。
  '6' Reading with L。 Dind。 {khre de ton ippokomon kai ta oiade 。 。  。
  paroxunthai; ei ti dei ponein}; or if as Schneid。; Sauppe; etc。;                        {khre
  de   ton   ippon   me   kata   toiade;   k。t。l。};   transl。   〃the   horse      must   not   be
  irritated    in  such    operations     as   these;〃    etc。;  but         {toiade}      =   〃as
  follows;〃 if correct; suggests a lacuna in either                  case at this point。
  It would be good for the groom to know how to give a leg up in the
  Persian fashion;'7' so that in case of illness or infirmity of age the master
  himself may have a man to help him on to horseback without trouble; or; if
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  he so wish; be able to oblige a friend with a man to mount him。'8'
  '7' Cf。 〃Anab。〃 IV。 iv。 4; 〃Hipparch;〃 i。 17; 〃Cyrop。〃 VII。 i。 38。
  '8' An {anaboleus}。 Cf。 Plut。 〃C。 Gracch。〃 7。
  The one best preceptthe golden rulein dealing with a horse is never
  to   approach   him   angrily。  Anger   is   so   devoid   of   forethought   that   it   will
  often drive a man to do things which in a calmer mood he will regret。'9'
  Thus; when a horse is shy of any object and refuses to approach it; you
  must teach him that there is nothing to be alarmed at; particularly if he be
  a plucky animal;'10' or; failing that; touch the formidable object yourself;
  and then gently lead the horse up to it。 The opposite plan of forcing the
  frightened   creature   by  blows   only  intensifies its   fear;  the horse   mentally
  associating      the  pain   he   suffers   at  such   a  moment      with   the   object   of
  suspicion; which he naturally regards as its cause。
  '9' Cf。 〃Hell。〃 v。 iii。 7 for this maxim。
  '10' Al。 〃if possibly by help of another and plucky animal。〃
  If;   when   the   groom   brings   up   the   horse   to   his   master   to   mount;   he
  knows   how   to   make   him   lower   his   back;'11'   to   facilitate   mounting;   we
  have no fault to find。 Still; we consider that the horseman should practise
  and be able to mount; even if the horse does not so lend himself;'12' since
  on another occasion another type of horse may fall to the rider's lot;'13'
  nor can the same rider be always served by the same equerry。'14'
  '11'   {upobibazesthai}。   See   above;   i。   14;   Pollux;   i。   213;   Morgan   ad
  loc。 〃Stirrups were unknown till long after the Christian era                     began。〃
  '12' Or; 〃apart from these good graces on the animal's part。〃
  '13' As a member of the cavalry。
  '14'   Reading   {allo}。  Al。   reading   {allos}   with   L。   D。;   〃and   the   same
  horse will at one time h