The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



hereditary ancestral lion. In the narrower 

 ways, where the undergrowth is near on either 

 side, he will be all attention, and the breaking 

 of a stick is sufficient to startle him. Watch 

 his ears and eyes, muscles all braced and in 

 tension. He's all there ready for any emer- 

 gency. He stops for a moment and considers 

 whether, if need be, his best chance is ahead, 

 or by the way he came. Scratch his shoulder 

 and tell him it is all right, and he will go on. 

 In forest glades you will find that, left to him- 

 self, he will make his trail equidistant from 

 the umbrage on either hand, and, in no case, 

 not even in that of an obvious short cut, will 

 he ever allow himself to come within " striking 

 distance." Near cover he is always at at- 

 tention. 



r^^His air of entire unconcern when he gets 

 out into an open place is quite amusing, but 

 in the wide open he will always keep an eye 

 upon any isolated clump and give it a wide 

 berth. Even our most domesticated horses, 

 who for generations have been under cover 

 or in small fields, will, even in the field, of 

 which they have known every square foot all 

 their hves, never sleep within " striking 

 distance " of the wood or plantation alongside. 

 The breaking of a stick in it at night is sufficient 

 to send them scampering and snorting to the 

 far side of the field. 



In an open plain, the horse will always make 



lU 



