142 SYMPATHY BETWEEN MAN AND ANIMALS. 



safely home, and resumes his situation in attendance, ready for further 

 service. 



Here is an amount of instinct and sagacity difficult to comprehend, but 

 such is the fact, and when taken in connection with the attachment of 

 the animal to his master, it accounts for an obedience and docility observable 

 in no other animal. 



The horse, in sympathy with man, shews less of these feelings of attach- 

 ment and obedience; he is more capricious in temper. Some are irreclaim- 

 ably vicious or stubborn, some bold and courageous, others timid and shy; 

 some impetuous, others impassive; some obedient and confiding, with a 

 degree of attachment; others sly, and ready to seize every opportunity to 

 do mischief. Sympathy between the horse and rider is common, especially 

 when both are under the influence of excitement and a similar spirit and 

 determination mutually prevails; but if the rider falls, sympathy as regards 

 the horse is at an end; the animal goes on, if in chase he joins it, if on 

 a journey and the rider falls from illness or other causes, he forsakes him, 

 however long their acquaintance might have been. 



The dog on such an occasion never deserts his master; if he moves at 

 all it is for assistance, and will not cease his exertions until he has brought 

 help to the spot. The horse has sagacity to find his way home, and will 

 perhaps cunningly open the stable door and help himself to food, but shews 

 no attachment or feeling for his lost master. Among many instances of 

 intelligence in the horse now crowding on my recollection, the following 

 is perhaps as illustrative as any: — 



A friend of mine, resident in this city, has an estate in Gloucestershire, 

 some thirty miles distant. Before the construction of railways it was his 

 custom to visit this estate frequently, using the same horse. Upon these 

 occasions the horse was fed at an inn about mid-way, and allowed a certain 

 time for rest, during which he had always two feeds of oats; this system 

 of feeding and resting was so well understood by the ostler, that my friend 

 did not think it necessary to repeat his directions, and always found his 

 horse ready to start at the expiration of the regular interval. It once 

 happened that the regular ostler was called away after giving the horse his 

 first feed; and the usual time for resuming the journey having arrived, the 

 carriage was summoned to the door. My friend takes his seat and the 

 reins, Boniface makes his accustomed bow, which is acknowledged with the 

 usual courtesy; but the horse, instead of bounding off as expected, places 

 his fore-legs forward, and fixes himself immoveable in the breeching; the 

 ostler was ready for coercion, and the driver was desired to apply the 

 thonc. "No," says my friend, "there must be something wrong here," and 

 descending from the vehicle, patted the horse, but without producing any 

 good effect; his ears continued to be turned backwards with evident syrnp- 



