BUYING. 155 



said that a person who knows nothing whatsoever about a 

 horse is the easiest to please, the one having a mere smatter- 

 ing the hardest, and the man who has had some experience 

 himself, and knows the innumerable difficulties that lie in the 

 way of a successful purchase, the most appreciative. The 

 last order of patron is thoroughly aware that perfection is not 

 to be found, and is quite satisfied if the animal is sound and 

 fairly well suited for his work. If a purchase proves unsatis- 

 factory the new owner should realize that to err is human, 

 and he ought to be thankful that, although the horse is a 

 trifle slower or less highly strung than is desirable, he might 

 have bought, had he made the purchase himself, an animal 

 broken in wind, defective in sight or the possessor of more 

 serious faults. 



Never abuse the kindness of a friend by asking him to 

 go to one or more sale stables and select six or a dozen 

 steeds, in order that you may come in a lordly way and ex- 

 hibit your ignorance by some blundering criticism. A gen- 

 tleman, no matter how vain he may be, is justly annoyed by 

 being requested to do this " capper's " work of " spot 'em 

 down " and " trot 'em out." If you, as a buyer, wish to in- 

 fuse your personality into the selection, or, as it is vulgarly 

 termed, " have a finger in the pie," go the rounds yourself or 

 with your servant, and having picked out several likely ani- 

 mals ask your amateur expert to pass judgment on your 

 selection. The novice, through fear of making a mistake, 

 frequently rejects horses right and left ; as a consequence the 

 dealers grow vexed and become tired of trotting out " a 

 herd " a day for inspection, your mentor is disgusted and 

 made the subject of strong epithets from the stable hands 

 and the " boss " for wasting their time and his own. 



