THE HORSE. 41 



stepping on the sound one ; they also step " longer '' 

 with the lame one than the sound one, and keep it 

 a shorter time on the ground. You may hear the lame 

 foot touch the ground lighter than the sound one 

 with its hard, firm, short step. Lameness is the lan- 

 guage of pain, expressing no more than the animal 

 really feels ; it tells the plain and honest truth, with 

 the greatest simplicity. Is not this the strongest appeal 

 to our sympathies ? Ought we not to attend to their 

 dictates, and do all we can to relieve their sufferings ? 



A little care at the proper period will often prevent a 

 lameness becoming permanent. Slight attention will 

 relieve the pain of the incurable. 



Many horses, which go lame with weight upon their 

 backs, will go sound in single harness, because the 

 weight is lessened ; and often, where lame here, will 

 go sound in double, because there is no weight at all. 



Instead of riding a lame horse, try single or double 

 harness. There are some who can perform slow work 

 without pain, even on the road, when they are no. 

 longer fit for fast work ; and even when the road is too 

 hard, they may work about a farm. I need hardly 

 add that there is great cruelty in keeping horses to 

 any fast work when lame in it, and that frequently at 

 slow work, particularly on soft ground, they will be- 

 come sound if kept a sufficient time employed upon it. 

 From the preceding observations, you will see the pro- 



iety of having the horse ridden prior to purchase. 





