CHAPTER I. 



SUGGESTIONS AS TO THE BEST WAT OF BUYING A HORSE. 



ADVICE OF A JUDICIOUS FRIEND INDISPENSABLE. NEVER 



BUY FOR YOURSELF. HOW TO CHOOSE AN ADVISER. 



WHAT KIND OF HORSE TO CHOOSE. DIFFERENT SORTS 



OF DEALERS, BREEDERS, ETC. 



LOOKING at horses in a general way, so far as 

 they are kept by gentlemen, we must chiefly 

 regard them as objects of show and amusement ; 

 for though utility may also be added, this is but 

 a secondary consideration with such persons in 

 their inducements to keep them. Whether, how- 

 ever, we consider them as objects of luxury or 

 utility, or as both, the keeping them in the 

 best health and condition becomes an object of 

 material moment as regarding kindness to the 

 animal, vanity as to his general appearance as 

 belonging to ourselves, and also as a matter of 

 pecuniary consideration ; for I do not know any 

 saleable article whose price is more enhanced 

 or deteriorated by its appearance than the horse ! 

 and that appearance, barring accident or illness, 

 depends wholly on the mode in which he is 

 treated ; and, in fact, both accident and illness 

 greatly depend on his treatment also. If it was 



