32 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



or a hundred miles to the fair. These horses generally parade 

 the streets, and the dealers in this class have their men stationed 

 on the different roads leading into the town. When a horse 

 comes to the fair of the class the dealers want, either the 

 dealer himself or one of his satellites finds out all about him, 

 and if the ^^rice is right they generally buy. When such a 

 man is engaged in bargaining for a horse, no one thinks of going 

 near him ; in fact with some men it would be dangerous to do 

 so. There is nothing that touches a man so quickly as his 

 pocket; and if a person were to ask the price of a horse 

 while another was trying to buy it, the seller would hold 

 out for his price on account of the chance of the other pur- 

 chasing, as well as thinking more highly of his horse, than he 

 might otherwise have done. When purchasing a hack or 

 harness horse in an open fair, after ascertaining the price 

 (which is a most important thing to do, as it is of no use 

 taking any further trouble if the seller wants £60 for his 

 horse and the buyer will only give £35), the age should be 

 known. If the animal is three, four, or five years old off, or 

 even six years old, there is a reason for his being at the fair. 

 At three or four years of age the breeder wishes to get rid of 

 him, and up to five or six years a man may have a horse that 

 he wishes to realise his money on ; but after that age, as a 

 rule, in this class of horse, there is some reason connected with 

 the horse himself for his being there. If a harness horse, he 

 has probably taken a liberty with the carriage, either by 

 running away or kicking ; if a hack, he is difficult to ride, or 

 has a hard mouth, etc. These are things that the buyer has 

 not much opportunity of finding out ; as a rule it is better not 

 to buy a horse over five years old at a fair. There are, no 

 doubt, many horses over that age at fail's both quiet and sound, 

 but there are a very great many that are not. 



Action and conformation are the two great points that 

 govern the price of hacks and harness horses ; some very good 



