THE THREE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
OF MY THEORY
Founded on the Leading Characteristics of the Horse.
FIRST.--That he is so constituted by nature that he will not offer
resistance to any demand made of him which he fully comprehends, if made
in a way consistent with the laws of his nature.
SECOND.--That he has no consciousness of his strength beyond his
experience, and can be handled according to our will, without force.
THIRD.--That we can, in compliance with the laws of his nature by which he
examines all things new to him, take any object, however frightful,
around, over or on him, that does not inflict pain, without causing him to
fear.
To take these assertions in order, I will first give you some of the
reasons why I think he is naturally obedient, and will not offer
resistance to anything fully comprehended. The horse, though possessed of
some faculties superior to man's being deficient in reasoning powers, has
no knowledge of right or wrong, of free will and independent government,
and knows not of any imposition practiced upon him, however unreasonable
these impositions may be. Consequently, he cannot come to any decision
what he should or should not do, because he has not the reasoning
faculties of man to argue the justice of the thing demanded of him. If he
had, taking into consideration his superior strength, he would be useless
to man as a servant. Give him _mind_ in proportion to his strength, and he
will demand of us the green fields for an inheritance, where he will roam
at leisure, denying the right of servitude at all.
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