49 



meat may be formed almost instantaneously'. 

 It is a sure prognostication of weakness in the 

 back when he shifts his tail from one side to 

 the other. After a long or severe journey, 

 imless a horse has good spirits, he will drop his 

 tail, which shews his imbecility. By a jour- 

 ney of forty or fifty miles, however, the quali- 

 ties of a horse will in general be ascertained; 

 In lifting the tail, if the animal be spirited, it 

 will yield to little force ; but the more exertion 

 is used to raise the tail of a dull horse, the 

 closer he v.all draw it to his hips ; and by per- 

 sisting, it not unfrequcntly happens that those 

 who make the attempt suffer severely from 

 kicking. 



The bone of the tail should not be too thick, 

 nor loaded with much flesh or hair, which in- 

 dicate dullness, and want of spirit. It should 

 be flexible, easy to take up when required, and 

 sufliciently covered with soft and flowing hair. 

 Some horses have little or no hair on their tails. 

 Thtse are called rat-tailed horses, and are gene- 

 rally of the best kind. Their fiery and spirited 

 constitution is the cause of so little hair grow- 

 ing pn that part. HoYses with such tails, how- 

 ever, though they aiv by no means handsome. 



