i54 THE SENSORIAL FUNXTIuX. 



They wlio know anything of the horse pay much attention to the size, 

 setting on, and motion of the ear. Ears rather small than large — ^placed 

 not too far apart — erect and quick in motion, indicate both breeding and 

 spirit ; and if a horse is fi-equently in the habit of carrying one ear forward 

 and the other backward, and especially if he does so on a journey, he "will 

 generally possess both spii-it and continuance. The stretching of the ears 

 in contrary dii-ections shows that he is attentive to everything that is 

 taking place around hira, and, while he is doing this, he cannot be much 

 fatigued, or likely soon to become so. It has been remarked that feAV 

 horses sleep without pointing one ear forward and the other backward, in 

 order that they may receive notice of the approach of objects in every 

 direction. ' When horses or mules,' says Dr. Ai-nott, in his ' Elements of 

 Physic,' 'march in company at night, those in front direct their ears for- 

 wards ; those in the rear direct them backwards ; and those in the centre 

 turn them laterally or across ; the whole troop seeming thus to be actuated 

 by one feeling, which watches the general safety.' 



The ear of the horse is one of the most beautiful pai-ts about him, and 

 by few things is the temper more surely indicated than by its motion. 

 The ear is more intelligible even than the eye ; and a person accustomed 

 to the horse, and an observer of him, can tell by the expressive motion of 

 that organ almost all that he thinks or means. It is a common saying, 

 that when a horse lays his ears flat back upon his neck, and keeps them 

 so, he most assuredly is meditating mischief, and the stander by should 

 beware of his heels or his teeth. In play, the ears will be laid back, but 

 not so decidedly or so long. A quick change in their position, and more 

 particularly the expression of the eye at the time, will distinguish between 

 playfulness and vice. 



The external ear is formed by a cartilage of an oval or cone-like shape, 

 flexible, yet firm, and terminating in a point. It has, directed towards the 

 side, yet somewhat pointing forward, a large opening extending from the 

 top to the bottom. The intention of this is to collect the sound, and 

 convey it to the interior part of the ear. 



The hearing of the horse is remarkably acute. A thousand vibrations 

 of the air, too slight to make any impression on the human ear, are readily 

 perceived by him. It is well known to every hunting man, that the cry 

 of the hounds \vill be recognised by the horse, and his ears will be erect, 

 and he will be all spirit and impatience a considerable time before the 

 rider is conscious of the least sound. 



This custom of cutting the ears of the horse originated, to its shame, in 

 Great Britain, and for many years was a practice not only cruel to the 

 animal, but depri^ang him also of much of his beauty ; and was so obsti- 

 nately pursued, that at length the deformity became in some hereditary, 

 and a breed of horses born without ears was produced. Fortunately for 

 this too-often abused animal, cropping is not now the fashion. Some 

 thoughtless or unfeeling young men endeavoured, a little while ago, again 

 to introdvice it, but the voice of reason and humanity prevailed. 



This cartilage, the conch or shell, is attached to the head by ligaments, 

 and sustained by muscles, on which its action depends. It rests upon 

 another cartilage, round without and irregular -vrithin, called the annular, 

 I'incr-like, cartilage, and conducting to the interior of the ear ; and it is 

 likewise supported and moved by a third small cartilage, placed at the 

 fore part of the base of the conch, and into which several muscles are 

 inserted. 



The ear is covered by skin thinner than in most other parts of the body, 

 and altogether destitute of fat, in order that it may not be too bulky and 

 heavy, and may be more easily moved. Under the skin lining the inside 



