THE ART OF BUYING 183 



not sell except to horsemen, but when they 

 offer a horse one may buy blindfold. Except 

 in dealing with real frontiersmen one takes a 

 horse on approval or not at all. 



After the main essentials of a pure heart and 

 four legs, I look for large eyes with no 

 white showing, and a broad forehead. If a 

 horse is nervous when approached, he cannot 

 be relied upon in emergencies. If he is less 

 than seven years of age he is not fully matured 

 for work which needs endurance. I prefer a 

 gelding as being less flighty, less apt to break 

 back than a mare. I will add dollars to get a 

 glutton, close quickly with the offer of a horse 

 in really hard condition, refuse a rough-gaited 

 trotter as a gift, and cannot be paid to ride a 

 beast who bucks. As to the ' points ' by 

 which a civilised horseman judges horseflesh, 

 they are all very nice if one has plenty of 

 money. The prices have trebled since the turn 

 of the century. 



Making Friends. There are many little 

 kindnesses which help to ease the labour of a 

 horse. He has just as much pride as a man in 

 smart equipment, has vanity enough to relish 

 a glossy coat, to show off in company, chal- 

 lenge for admiration with gallant carriage of 

 his neck and tail, and prove himself much 



