256 FRANKLIN SOCIETY. 



age, you can hardly expect any marked improvement. Much 

 might be said of the too common practice of starving the colt, 

 or giving it the coarsest fare the first winter of its life, in order 

 to toughen it ; but that system in physics, we are happy to think, 

 is fast passing away. 



It may be thought irrelevant to the duties of the committee, 

 to speak of purchasing, but so long as an inferior animal can 

 be palmed off for about the same price as one of desirable 

 qualities, there will be but little inducement to make the ne- 

 cessary effort to improve the stock, A bad or tender constitu- 

 tioned horse never can be cheap at any price ; that is, to a man 

 who wishes to keep the same for a series of years, as the differ- 

 ence in the expense of feeding soon amounts to more than the 

 original outlay. Although there is no animal, whose good and 

 distinguishing characteristics are so prominent, and easily 

 known, yet but few take the trouble to examine and inform 

 themselves on the subject. It is generally supposed, and truly, 

 that a man knows his own business and wants, the best, and is 

 best qualified to transact the former, and supply the latter. But 

 in purchasing a horse, we believe this often fails to be true. 

 Are you conscious that your organ of vision, from want either 

 of a cultivated taste, or the necessary information, is such, to 

 use a hackneyed expression, that you cannot "see through a 

 horse," then go to some friend, if you want to purchase, in 

 whose integrity you can have entire confidence, (and some 

 caution is necessary on this point,) who has that gift, and there 

 are ten chances that he will be able to suit you, where there is 

 one that you will suit yourself. And be not too careful to limit 

 him in price, lest the " penny wise " system should prove the 

 " pound foolish." 



One word upon his management. There is no notion so 

 mistaken, as that which many entertain, that a horse ought to 

 have all the hay he will eat. Like too many of our own 

 species, their appetites, when continually tempted, get the bet- 

 ter of their judgment. More horses, without doubt, get that 

 incurable disease, the heaves, by eating too much hay, and that 

 in a bad state, than by being over-driven. If you have not one 

 already, let us advise you to buy a hay cutter of the most ap- 



