FIT FOR A BUTCHER. 313 



very near buying a horse not much better as to 

 temper. 



A butcher at a watering-place where I was staying 

 had a remarkably neat horse, a particularly fine goer : 

 he had often attracted my attention, but I felt satisfied 

 there was something wrong about the horse, or he 

 would never have got into such hands. I questioned 

 the butcher about him, stating I should like to pur- 

 chase him. The man had the honesty to tell me the 

 horse would be of no use to me if I did, unless I 

 treated him as he did, which was, either in or out of 

 harness, to keep him going all day and every day ; for 

 if he was to give him one day's rest, he could do 

 nothing with him the next. I was not, however, 

 deterred by this, but resolved to have him ; and but 

 for the following circumstance I certainly should have 

 bought him. He picked up a nail, so the butcher was 

 obliged to rest him. I begged to be present when he 

 was next put to work. I was so ; and of all the unruly 

 brutes I ever saw he was the worst : he would neither 

 carry nor draw. I then asked his master what he 

 meant to do ? He said, "Serve him as I did when I 

 got him, give him nothing to eat till he goes quiet, 

 and then keep him at it." He did so, and when I next 

 saw the horse, there certainly could be no complaint 

 made of his having too much carcase. 



That horses intended for exhibition are sometimes 

 subject to this sort of deprivation is quite certain, and 

 that in cases where there is no vice to complain of; 

 for some horses are so volatile in their disposition, that, 

 if they are not a little lowered, their very exuberance 

 of spirits would prevent their being taught, and a little 

 deprivation is in fact kindness, as doing away with the 

 necessity of severe punishment. A person accustomed 



