INTRODUCTION 



"What are the points of a horse?" "What 

 are the things to look for; and what are the 

 things to avoid?" " How am I to tell a good 

 horse when I see one ? " 



These, and similar questions, are frequently 

 put to me, on the one hand by persons who, 

 without much experience, are anxious to buy 

 a horse, and have to depend upon their own 

 limited knowledge to safeguard them, and on 

 the other hand by artists and amateurs, whose 

 attempts to introduce horses into their pictures 

 have not always been attended with success. 



The title of this book will, I hope, acquit 

 me, in the eyes of the public, of anything 

 more ambitious than a desire to offer a 

 few suggestions on this subject : it makes no 

 pretence to deal with it exhaustively, and 

 those who desire further information must be 



referred to more comprehensive works; but 

 to the best of my knowledge there is no book 

 which makes any attempt to occupy the ground 

 that I shall now endeavour to cover in the 

 simplest manner possible, partly by words 

 and partly by diagrams, which I find far better 

 calculated to leave a definite impression on the 

 mind than long descriptions. 



These hints are the result of many years of 

 personal intimacy with the horse, and of careful 

 observation of his proportions, his movements, 

 and his habits, and I hope that what has 

 proved of use to me may, in turn, be found 

 useful to others. 



In conclusion, I have added a few notes 

 on Riding, Driving, and on Harness, which I 

 trust will not be found out of place. 



C. M. GONNE. 



GODALMING, 

 September, 1904. 



