THE HORSE. 687 



The Eye. It has been, said that the eye is the window through which we may look 

 into the soul of a man. As this is the most expressive feature of the human face, and the 

 one by which we can best determine the disposition of the individual, so with the horse; 

 some of the most important characteristics of the animal may be read in his eye. If you do 

 not like the eye of a horse, have nothing whatever to do with him, for you will not like the 

 animal. The eye of a horse should be intelligent and kindly in expression, yet full of 

 courage, and characterized by mildness and gentleness. It should also be rather prominent 

 and full. The nearer the eye of a horse approaches that of the deer, in expression, the better. 

 A horse that is frequently looking back of him furtively, so as to show the white of the eye, 

 is generally apt to be mischievous, and is not to be trusted. 



The Ears. The ears of a horse, as well as the eye, may express much. They should 

 be fine in texture, that is, thin, in which the veins are readily traced ; rather small, and not 

 too long proportionately for the head that carries them. They should be curved slightly 

 inward at the tips, and covered with fine, short hair. They should be set rather close 

 together at the base, quick and playful in movement. A horse that is in the habit of laying 

 his ears back, down close to the head, is not trusty, and will be inclined to kick or bite if he 

 gets a chance. 



The Head. The following extract from the description of the head of a perfect horse, 

 by Carson, will be found to contain many excellent suggestions: &quot;The head of every horse 

 should be as small as would be in keeping with the rest of his body. A large, coarse head 

 is a defect in every person s eye; and it has no advantages to counterbalance its deformity. 

 The muzzle should be fine, and of moderate length; the mouth invariably deep for receiving 

 and retaining the bit; and the lip rather thin and firmly compressed. A fine, tight lip is a 

 pretty sure indication of an active temperament, and consequently affords a measure of the 

 energy and durability of the animal. Horses with short, flabby lips, lying wide apart are 

 proverbial for sluggishness. The nostrils should be large, so as to be capable, when open, 

 of allowing the air to have free access to the lungs. In conformity with the uniform condi 

 tion of the Creator s work, it will be found that there is a direct relation between the develop 

 ment of the nostrils, and the capacity of the lungs for air. Hence arises the necessity of 

 observing the size of the nostrils. Capacious lungs would be of no use if the orifice which 

 connects them with the external atmosphere were so concentrated that they could not get 

 properly filled. 



The race-horse must have very wide and dilatable nostrils to admit a large volume of 

 air, with the utmost freedom and greatest speed, into his widely and rapidly distended lungs; 

 but the horse of slow work can take more time in his breathing, and consequently does not 

 require such a very large nostril as the racer, hunter, or steeple-chaser. Care must always be 

 taken, recollect, not to confound a naturally well-developed nostril with one which looks large 

 in consequence of having been kept in a state of permanent distention by disease of the 

 lungs or air-passages. 



The muzzle ought to be fine a good way up, and then the parts should enlarge suddenly, 

 in order to give plenty of breadth to the under-jaw, as well as thickness from side to side. 

 This is a point of great beauty, as it gives breadth to the jaw-blade, and breadth from eye to 

 eye, whilst the fineness of the head generally is maintained. A head that is narrow between 

 the eyes, and narrow on the side of the jaw, is painfully disagreeable to the eye of every 

 judge. The space between the two blades of the under-jaw ought to be so broad and so deep 

 as to freely admit the lower edge of the neck when the chin is reined in towards the counter; 

 but it should not be wider than this, as it would then appear coarse. If there is sufficient 

 room in this locality, the horse can be reined up to the proper pitch without stopping up his 

 windpipe. 



