ON PURCHASE AND SALE. I53 



upon the road, in company with himfelf or 

 fervant. It is undoubtedly the way to know- 

 all that can be well known of an animal, in fo 

 fliort an acquaintance, firft to fee him ridden, 

 and then to ride him youiTelf. You will be 

 enabled to determine, how far his merit is to be 

 attributed to the fldll or fpurs of the jockey ; 

 how far his condition and wind are to be de- 

 pended upon, and whether he has been merely 

 pampered for fale ; whether his carriage be 

 adroit, careful, and fafe, over rough ways; 

 whether he be naturally (hy and flvittifli, or has 

 taken averfion to particular obje6is ; and w^he- 

 ther he trot down hill, in a firm and compa6l 

 way, naturally throwing his weight upon his 

 haunches, and bearing light on the hand, or 

 whether he lean forward, as if defiro.us of ufing 

 his nofe as a fifth leg. This laft is a confidera- 

 tion never to be overlooked. A hack that will 

 not go well down hill, may fairly be pronounced 

 good for nothing, were it only becaufe fuch 

 good qualification is generally the confequcnce 

 of being well-fhaped, the backward pofition 

 of the (houlder, and the inclination forward of 

 the haunches, favouring the attitude moft pro- 

 per for defcent. Lall of all, there may be 

 fomething highly difagreeoble in the motions or 

 carriage of a horfe, which a perfon can by no 

 other means difcover, than by adually riding 

 him ; and I have frequently heard men of con- 



fummate 



