In horsemanship there is no subject so worthy3 of consideration, most especially by any one wearing the name of66 a gentleman, as the use and the abuse of spurs. In riding horses that since their birth have been roaming in a state of nature, that have never tasted corn, and that have never been excited by men to race against each other, it would be impossible to induce them to exhaust in man's service the whole of their strength except by punishment; for, as they have never obeyed any other will than their own, so soon as they become tired, they attempt not only to diminish their speed, but to stop altogether, and as their bodies have no value whatever, and as their riders have spurs with rowels an inch long, and no mercy, it might be supposed that, under such circumstances, an uncivilized human being would be very apt to inflict5 unnecessary punishment on the poor subdued6 animal beneath him. But it is mercifully ordained7 that it is the interest as well as the duty of man to husband the powers of the animals that serve him, and accordingly the wild rider, when carefully observed, is found to be infinitely8 more lenient9 in the use of his spurs than the comrade who calls himself civilized4, simply because the former by his own and his hereditary10 experience has learned that the spur should be the last, and not the first resource of any rider who desires to be carried a given distance in the smallest possible amount of time. Accordingly, to attain11 this object, the animal on starting, without any punishment, is restrained by his bridle12, and encouraged,67 so long as it is possible to do so, in his zeal13 to advance: when that begins to flag, by working the bit in his mouth he is induced to proceed; when this fails, a very slight touch of one spur becomes necessary, to be increased only as required. When excitation on that side is found to have lost its effect, it is tried very gently on the other; and thus does the wild rider proceed, until he ends the distance by coming in violently spurring with both heels at every step of a gallop14, that, from sheer faintness, has dwindled15 down to a rate of hardly six miles an hour.
Now a civilized traveller almost invariably commits not only the unnecessary cruelty but the error of using his spurs the moment his horse, as he fancies, requires them; by which means he for a very short time encourages, and then so completely discourages his poor weak animal that he often fails altogether to get to the end of the distance which his wild comrade, without the slightest desire to be merciful, has rapidly and scientifically accomplished16.
In the management, however, of horses in England, the conditions of the case are totally different. Tied to mangers, in which they feast on dry oats, beans, and hay, no sooner do they leave their stables than the very sight of creation animates17 them; every carriage that trots18 by, and every rider that passes, excites them. When brought into condition, and then encouraged to compete against68 each other, their physical strength, though artificially raised to the maximum, remains19 far behind their instinctive20 courage and disposition21 to go till they die, in almost any service in which they may be employed.
Under these circumstances, the use of the spur is to enable man to maintain his supremacy22, and, whenever necessary, promptly23 and efficiently24 to suppress mutiny in whatever form it may break out. If a restiff horse objects to pass a particular post, he must be forced to do so. If he refuses to jump water, he must, as we have described, be conquered. But in every case of this nature a combination of cool determination, plenty of time, and a little punishment, invariably form a more permanent cure than a prescription25 composed only of the last ingredient; for as anger, in a horse as in a man, is a short madness, an animal under its influence is not in so good a state to learn and remember the lesson of obedience26 which man is entitled to impart, as when he has time given to him to observe that the just sentence to which he is sternly required to submit, is tempered with mercy.
But if the uses of the spur are few, its abuses are many. On the race-course, the eagerness and impetuosity of thorough bred horses to contend against each other are so great, that for a considerable time it is difficult to prevent them, especially young ones, from69 starting before the signal is given. As soon as they are "off," it becomes all that the best riders in the world can do merely to guide them: to stop them would be impossible. Occasionally their very limbs "break down" in their endeavours to win; and yet, while they are exerting their utmost powers and strength,—to the shame of their owners and to the disgrace of the nation, the riders are allowed, as a sort of show off, to end the contest by whipping and spurring, which, nine times out of ten, has the effect of making the noblest quadruped in creation do what is technically27 called "Shut Up," which means that the ungenerous and ungrateful punishment and degradation28 that have been unjustly inflicted29 upon him have cowed his gallant30 spirit, and have broken an honest heart!
But the ignorance as well as the brutality31 of unnecessarily spurring a hunter is even worse than that just portrayed32. When a young horse that has never seen a hound, is ridden up, for the first time in his life, not to a meet, at which the whole pack are to be seen, but merely to the side of a covert33, which, hidden from view, they are drawing, it might reasonably be conceived that under such circumstances he could not have an idea of their past, present, or future proceedings—we mean, where they had come from, what they were doing, or what they were going to do. However, no sooner does70 a hound, from laziness, or possibly from feeling that he has been sufficiently34 pricked35 by thorns, briars, and gorse, creep out for a few seconds before him, than—"Angels and ministers of grace defend us!"—the young horse pricks36 up his ears, stares intently at him, holds his breath, and, with a heart beating so hard that it may be not only heard but felt by the rider, he breaks out into a perspiration37, which, on the appearance of a few more hounds, turns into foam38 as white as soap-suds. On an old hound—by a single deep tone, instantaneously certified39 by the sharp, shrill40, resolute41 voice of the huntsman—announcing to creation that the one little animal which so many bigger ones have been so good as to visit, is "at home," the young horse paws the ground; if restrained, evinces a slight disposition to rear; until, by the time the whole pack—encouraged by the cheery cry, "Have at him!"—in full chorus have struck up their band of music, he appears to have become almost ungovernable, and is evidently outrageously42 anxious to do—he knows not what; and accordingly, when a sudden shriek43, scream, or, as the Irish term it, "screech," rather than a holla, from the opposite side of the covert, briefly44 announces, as by a telegram, the joyous45 little word "Away!" suiting his action to it, "away" the young horse often bolts with his rider, just as likely "away" from the hounds as with them. If he follows71 them, infuriated by ardour, which neither he nor his rider have power to control, he looks at nothing, thinks of nothing, until at full speed coming to say a stiff fence he disdains46 to rise at, a lesson is offered to him, which, however, he is a great deal too much excited to learn by heart; and so, before his rider has had time enough to uncoil himself from his roll, the "young 'un," without a thought or disposition to wait for the old gentleman, leaves him on the ground to think about the hounds; while with dangling47 stirrups, reins48 hanging loose on his neck, and outstretched neck and tail, he is once again "up and at 'em!"
Although, however, a horse, when his blood is hot, does not appear to notice a fall, he thinks a good deal about it in the stable; and, accordingly, the next time he comes out, instead of being infuriated, he only evinces a superabundance of eagerness and excitement to follow the hounds, which his rider can gradually and often rapidly succeed in allaying49, until the animal may be honestly warranted as "steady with hounds," which means that, although he will follow them over anything till he drops, he has lived to learn that to enable him to do so he had better not unnecessarily maim50 his legs or tumble himself head over heels. With this mixture of high courage and discretion51 he does his best; and, as affecting evidence of this truth, although, after having72 been ten or twelve hours out of his stable, with apparent cheerfulness, he brings his rider home, yet it is the latter only that then proves to be "as hungry as a hunter," while the exhausted52 stomach of the "vrai Amphitryon"—the real hunter, remains for many hours, and sometimes days, without the smallest appetite for corn or beans.
If this plain statement be correct, leaving humanity entirely53 out of the question, how ignorant and contemptible54 is that man who is seen during a run not only to be spurring his horse with both heels whenever he comes to deep ploughed ground or to the bottom of a steep hill, but who, just as if he were singing to himself a little song, or, "for want of thought," whistling to himself a favourite tune55, throughout the run, continues, as a sort of idle accompaniment to his music, to dangle56 more or less severely57 the rowel of one spur into the side of a singed58 hunter, who all the time is a great deal more anxious to live with the hounds than he is! But, as dishonesty is always the worst policy, so does this discreditable conduct produce results opposite to those expected to be attained59; for instead of spurring a poor horse throughout a run hastening his speed, it has very often put a fatal end to it.
In riding to hounds it occasionally happens that a resolute, experienced hunter, knowing what he can break through, what he must clear, and who has learned to73 be cunning enough never to jump farther than is necessary, approaches a fence on the other side of which a horse and rider have been just observed to disappear in a brook60 that has received them. Now, if throughout the run the rider has never once touched his faithful horse with spurs, and if on reaching this fence both rowels suddenly are made to prick him, in an instant he understands the friendly hint, and accordingly, by exerting much greater powers than he had intended, he saves himself and his benefactor61 from a bad fall. In a few cases of this nature the use of spurs to a sportsman is not only excusable, but invaluable62. On no account, however, should they be used to propel a hunter to the end of a run, but, on the contrary, whenever the noble animal tells his rider honestly that he is distressed63, he should gratefully be patted on the neck, pulled up, and walked carefully to the nearest habitation, where he can rest and obtain a few gulps64 of warm gruel65. Humanity will not disapprove66 of this course; but we also recommend young sportsmen to adopt it, to maintain their pleasures and to save their own purses. To ride a distressed horse at a strong fence, is very likely to break a collar-bone, that will require a surgeon and half the hunting season to mend. To ride him to death, entails67 extortion from the breeches-pocket of a sum of money—usually of three figures—to replace him.
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1
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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prick
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| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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7
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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lenient
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| adj.宽大的，仁慈的 | |
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hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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dwindled
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| v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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17
animates
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| v.使有生气( animate的第三人称单数 )；驱动；使栩栩如生地动作；赋予…以生命 | |
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trots
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| 小跑，急走( trot的名词复数 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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efficiently
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| adv.高效率地，有能力地 | |
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prescription
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| n.处方，开药；指示，规定 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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technically
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| adv.专门地，技术上地 | |
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degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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29
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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32
portrayed
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| v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画 | |
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covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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pricks
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| 刺痛( prick的名词复数 )； 刺孔； 刺痕； 植物的刺 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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certified
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| a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的 | |
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40
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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42
outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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43
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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45
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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46
disdains
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| 鄙视，轻蔑( disdain的名词复数 ) | |
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47
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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48
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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49
allaying
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的现在分词 ) | |
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50
maim
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| v.使残废，使不能工作，使伤残 | |
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51
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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52
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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53
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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54
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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55
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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56
dangle
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| v.(使)悬荡，(使)悬垂 | |
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57
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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58
singed
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| v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿] | |
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59
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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60
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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61
benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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62
invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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64
gulps
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| n.一大口（尤指液体）( gulp的名词复数 )v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的第三人称单数 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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gruel
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| n.稀饭，粥 | |
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66
disapprove
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| v.不赞成，不同意，不批准 | |
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67
entails
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| 使…成为必要( entail的第三人称单数 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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