Among ourselves there are certain dreams such as the falling dream, the flying dream, and that of being eaten by wild beasts, which are supposed to be race-memories dating from the time when man was a forest animal like an ape, before the immortal Spirit entered into his body.
Among horses there are race-memories dating from ancient times in the wilderness when the pony was driven to self-defence on pain of a violent death. These race memories take the form of habits, and explain the various methods by which the horse defends himself from human enemies.
Pawing, for example, is the subject of many theories. Not that the habit really needs explanation, because we fidget ourselves when we have nothing better to do. Yet when a horse paws the water at any drinking place, the learned are apt to say he does it to clear away the mud. I doubt if any horse is such a fool. Other observers note that the action is really stamping, a motion of race-memory dating from the time when thin ice had to be tested to see if a frozen river could be safely crossed. That sounds most reasonable, until one wonders dimly how it accounts for either pawing or stamping on dry ground.
Race memories
If then the fidgets must be explained by any theory of race memory, one would suppose that the gestures used in killing snakes or in scraping through snow to get grass might very well have come down through the ages. I think though that if I had four hoofs and an irritable temper, I might be allowed to indulge in cow-kicking or striking without my symptoms being used as a pretext for abusing my dead ancestors.
We have seen that the old range harem adopted military formations, and went into action well organized for defence against wolves. They kicked, but any range cow, addressed on the subject of milking, without hereditary training as a kicker, can give points to the average horse. Yet where the cow is merely obstinate the horse is reasonable.
Horse mastership
He is marvellously swift as a critic of the horseman, ready to kick the same abundantly at the slightest sign of ineptitude or nerves, or to render a cheery obedience to one who understands. The man who walks nervously through a stable making abrupt movements to avoid possible heels is sure to be criticised with contusions by any horse with a decent sense of humour. Yet if one understands the signs of thrown-back ears and balancing in readiness for the kick, one has only to tell the animal not to play the fool, then watch his shamefaced grin at being found out. It is so easy to charm the most irritable horse with a little hay while one is busy with him in the stall. He cannot, like a man, think of two things at once, and in military stables, horse-masters who have their grooming done while the horses feed will find that even dangerous kickers become gentle. That is of course contrary to much theory and more army practice; yet it is not forbidden, and being easily tested is well worth trying before it is condemned.
Kicking