THE HORSE 209 



and he is inclined to blame others for the result 

 instead of himself. If it pleases and amuses 

 you to enter into the arena with sharper wits 

 than yourself, you must not cry out when you 

 are worsted in the encounter. Use all your 

 powers to buy at the lowest possible price and 

 to sell at the highest, but do not misrepresent 

 or state things that are untrue, and you will 

 have nothing to reproach yourself with after- 

 wards. If you say a horse is sound when you 

 know him to be otherwise, you are cheating, 

 and are little better than a pickpocket. 



Different countries, as I have said, require a 

 different stamp of horse, but I prefer a pre- 

 ponderance of the thoroughbred blood, whether 

 the land be grass or plough. I think the well- 

 bred ones take longer to learn their business than 

 the others, but when once they take to jumping 

 they are the pleasantest mounts, and are only 

 cantering when the cock-tails are galloping. 



There are so many books on the horse now, 

 that every one knows what the perfect animal 

 should be like, but I may as well give you my 

 ideas. To begin with, I prefer a big bold eye 

 in a sensible head, which is set on to a neck that 



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