S ON THE EXTERNAL CONFORMATION, 

 the freedom of bending the head inwards, and 

 is also considered to facihtate respiration. 



The form of the ear is admirably adapted 

 for the purpose of collecting sound ; and it is 

 worthy of remark, that a horse seldom sleeps 

 without pointing one ear forwards and the 

 other backwards, to enable him to receive 

 notice of the approach of objects in either di- 

 rection. 



The horse's sense of hearing is very acute, 

 and it is a fact pretty well known by sportsmen, 

 that he can hear the cry of the hounds at a 

 greater distance than his rider. Hence it will 

 scarcely be necessary to point out the absurdity 

 of cropping ; yet there exists another bad cus- 

 tom, nearly as injurious as the former, viz. trim- 

 ming the hair close out of the ears. The utility 

 of hair in that part consists in moderating 

 sound, excluding cold air, rain and flies, and 

 other extraneous substances, which might other- 

 wise 



