ELEMENTS OF HIPPOLOGY. 183 



draft-horse, a driver, a saddler, or a general utility horse — but 

 no one can tell which of two horses, externally of equal promise, 

 will be able to do the most work.* 



This is especially trus of horses bred for speed. If two 

 colts, of similar breeding, are given advantage of the most 

 scientific care and training, are brought up by the same trainer, 

 on the same diet, and with exactly similar treatment, it is usually 

 impossible to tell, until the actual test on the track is made, 

 which will prove the speedier. 



The horse doing slow work contracts his muscles slowly; 

 the expenditure of tissue is very moderate, and especially mod- 

 erate is the expenditure of nerve-tissue. He is tired after a long 

 day's work, but it is the weariness that comes from the exhaus- 

 tion of the food-supply, not from nervous exhaustion. The cir- 

 culation, in the ordinarily healthy animal, is quite sufficient to 

 keep the blood pure and the muscles cleared of debris. In fact, 

 much of the food-supply is stored between the muscles and in 

 the abdominal region in the form of fat. This fat is easily drawn 

 on to restore waste tissues in emergencies when extra work is to 

 be done, or when the food-supply is diminished. It also adds to 

 the mass of the horse, and so increases his value for draft pur- 

 poses. The nerves of such an animal are never over-taxed. He 

 is kind, gentle, free from vice, and obedient. 



The race-horse, the trot ting-horse, the hunter, the polo- 

 pony — "the horse of luxury" generally — has work of an en- 

 tirely different sort to do. Speed is what he is bred for; speed 

 and endurance. The race-horse is bred in economic idleness. 

 He is trained to make his machinery perfect and under perfect 

 control. The preparation for a race, after his schooling is done, 



*Of a team of large sorrel horses of no particular breed, owned 

 by a contractor doing work at the Military Academy, one horse has 

 used up three team-mates, and is still sound and in prime condition. 

 Nothing in his external appearance would indicate any extraordinary 

 qualities. He does his full share of the work, yet what he thrives 

 under wears out other horses, apparently just as good, in a short time. 



