THE HORSE. 679 



Naturally generous, affectionate, and confiding, he attaches himself to his friend and 

 master, and is ever ready, with kind and yielding disposition, to do within the limits of his 

 capacity all that can reasonably be required of him ; while all that is necessary to make him kind, 

 amiable, and gentle, and at the same time increase his knowledge, is to recognize this capacity, 

 and by careful education develop his mental, and (we might almost add) moral qualities, to 

 their fullest extent. Thus domesticated and taught by intelligent owners, the horse will not 

 only increase in intelligence, docility, and consequent value, but will reciprocate the affection 

 bestowed upon him, as is instanced in the well-known Arab custom, where the horse is 

 domesticated to the extent, that he is at the same time servant of the master, and playmate of 

 his children. 



Qualities Desirable in a Horse. While it is essential that the horse should be 

 adapted to the purposes for which he is to be principally used, whether for the common pur 

 poses of the farm, for a draft-horse in drawing heavy loads, the carriage, saddle, or race 

 course, there are certain characteristics which the animal should possess, aside from the 

 qualities desired for special purposes. These may be included in a good disposition, a desir 

 able temperament, strength; endurance, and activity. Beauty of form and color, graceful 

 ness in motion, are also very desirable, although not absolutely essential for all purposes. 

 There are many good horses that are lacking in the latter qualities, but we think it would 

 be better to be at a little more expense in purchasing a horse, and procure one that looks 

 well in all respects, than to be obliged to use an animal that is a constant offence to the eye 

 and taste, even though it might be valuable as far as utility is concerned. 



A Good Disposition. A good disposition is highly essential in a horse, for without 

 this the animal is almost worthless and exceedingly unsafe. Like the human race, horses 

 differ greatly in disposition, no two being alike ( in this respect. Some are born naturally 

 vicious, and many others are made so by ill-treatment. 



A horse with a naturally bad disposition may, with kind treatment, become greatly 

 changed in this respect, and yet such a horse is never really safe, for the evil of his nature 

 may display itself at a time when least expected, and where an animal has so much within 

 his power; it is always best to be on the safe side, which will be by never keeping a bad-tempered 

 horse. A horse may be gentle for years ; but if he does not possess a good disposition 

 naturally, he will be liable to display his vicious temper in an unexpected moment, and there 

 fore cannot be safely trusted. The disposition of a horse can be easily determined by even 

 an inexperienced horseman, by the expression of the eye, shape of the head, th manner in 

 which the animal moves his ears, his movements generally, and various other ways, any one 

 of which, or all combined, are a pretty sure index of the temper of the animal. 



Intelligence. Intelligence is also equally essential. An intelligent horse can not 

 only be made more useful, other things being equal, since he can be taught more readily, and 

 to a greater extent, than a stupid animal, but he is generally more docile and kind in dispo 

 sition, and also more safe, being less liable to be easily frightened and become unmanageable. 



Strength and Endurance. Strength and endurance are very indispensable qualities. 

 A horse that possesses but little of either is not of much value for any purpose whatever, and 

 whether as a farm, draft, or carriage horse, must necessarily be used to disadvantage. &quot;Weak 

 teams for any use are inefficient and unprofitable. Size and strength are not always combined 

 in a proportionate degree in a horse; neither are strength and endurance. While as a general 

 rule a large horse will be much stronger than a small one, yet there are exceptions to this rule, 

 and many large, heavy horses are not as strong as they seem to be. The strength of a horse, 

 while in a measure depending upon his size, depends much more upon his form and muscular 

 development. For this reason, we frequently see medium -sized horses that are stronger than those 



