"It takes a good deal of physical courage to ride a horse. This, however, I have. I get it at about forty cents a flask, and take it as required"

This quote by Stephen Leacock is a humorous take on the concept of physical guts. He is recommending that instead of having the nerve to ride a horse naturally, he buys it in a flask for forty cents. This indicates that he is not naturally brave, but is able to acquire courage in a bottle. This quote is a humorous way of revealing the concept that courage is something that can be purchased, and that it is not necessarily something that is natural. It likewise indicates that courage is something that can be taken as needed, and that it is not something that is always present. This quote is a humorous method of expressing the concept that nerve is something that can be bought, and that it is not always something that is innate.