THE HORSE. 117 



Biting. 



Biting to any serious extent is induced in the horse 

 by the nervousness or thoughtlessness of its attendants ; 

 it is, however, a proof of ill-nature on the part of 

 the horse, and a VICE. 



But that pretty, half vengeful, half playful kind 

 of snapping with the mouth, while the ears are 

 whimsically laid back, and the laughing eyes shine 

 with harmless mischievousness the peculiarities of 

 horses possessing a strain of Eastern blood is no 

 more a vice than is the gentle bite of a gambolling 

 puppy. Neither is the habit of throwing out one of the 

 hind legs in a careful manner a habit peculiar to 

 those horses to be considered a vice. But ill-treat- 

 ment and mismanagement will not fail to make such 

 habits at length dangerous. 



In those cases in which a horse is driven into doing 

 wrong, such misconduct, until it has become a regular 

 habit, is NOT VICE. 



For if you flog, spur, or otherwise punish a horse 

 till he acts wrongly, the fault is yours. All horses 

 that are good for anything, will resent improper usage ; 

 and if you raise their mettle beyond your power of 

 control, the blame lies with you, and not with the 

 horse. 



For the accomplishment of certain purposes with 

 man, the excitement of his passions and feelings is 



