BLINKERS AND BLINDNESS 85 



I realised in a moment that the martingale was not undone, 

 and the horse's nose was below the water line. The frantic 

 animal soon unseated his brave rider, who immediately 

 sank before our eyes, having been kicked in the desperate 

 effort of the poor horse to free his head. He finally found 

 the solid ground under him, and came ashore. But his 

 rider, one of the best horsemen I ever knew, rose to the 

 surface a drowned man, and all our efforts to resuscitate 

 him proved unavailing. I have never since found any use 

 for the martingale.' 



What are the principal causes of blindness, Count ? 



' If the nose-bone be affected by disease, the nerves of 

 the eyes will suffer, and unless the trouble can yield to 

 treatment, as it does in man, the horse will eventually 

 become blind. Knocking in the head or nostrils, which 

 some human brutes seem to think an effectual punishment, 

 striking sharply with a whip over the ears and head, or 

 teeth from which the enamel is broken and the nerves 

 exposed, all sooner or later affect the eyes and sight. 

 PuUing daily very heavy loads up-hill, and choking with 

 tight collars, as well as the sudden passage from a dark 

 stable to the bright sunlight or dazzling snow, help to pro- 

 duce blindness.' 



Is it not remarkable the way in which blind horses can 

 go about, avoiding difficulties, sliding off just in time to 

 escape hitting their heads against a fence or stone wall? 



' For this reason I would much prefer a blind horse to 

 a lame one. Their sense of hearing is abnormally de- 

 veloped. They listen always to the echo of their own foot- 

 steps, which tells them how near they are to an object. 

 Their olfactory nerves also become preternaturally sensitive, 

 and warn them of the approach of persons or things. They 



