NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HORSE. it 



further increase in height, the parietes of the large cavities and 

 the muscles of voluntary motion assume a finished and rotund 

 appearance, and render the animal more capable of enduring 

 continued privation and. exertion ; the vital endurance and re- 

 sistance being greater than during the period of adolescence. 

 The fire and expression of the head, the spirit, character, and 

 disposition, become also more markecj toward the termination 

 of this epoch. 



The natural period of the decay of the vital powers, senility, 

 and mature death, may be conjectured to be about thirty years; 

 but few horses, owing to our barbarous treatment, attain that 

 term. 



The walk, the trot, and the gallopare the usually well-known 

 natural paces of the horse ; but the fact of some individuals 

 contracting the pace called amble (which is neither racking or 

 pacing), without previous tuition, has induced many writers to 

 regard that also as a natural method of progression. 



In England, and other northern countries, on the approach 

 of mild weather, the horse, by a natural process, analogous to 

 moulting in birds, divests himself of his winter's clothing of long 

 hair, and produces one of a shorter and cooler texture ; and 

 again, before the recurrence of cold weather, reassumes his warm 

 and lengthened coat to protect himself from the inclemency of 

 the approaching season. The autumnal change is not by any 

 means so general as that which takes place at the commence- 

 ment of spring ; in America, however, at least in the northern 

 parts, this change is invariable. The hair is not so completely 

 changed ; only a portion of it is thrown off, and that which re- 

 mains, with that which springs up, grows long, and is adapted 

 to the temperature of the atmosphere. These alternate changes 



