NOT AYISE OR COL'RAGEOUS. 3 



are far less easily deceived than the horse. Few animals have 

 so little capacity to take care of themselves, or can be made the 

 subjects of such easy and long continued imposition, Xo other 

 animal submits his physical powers so unreservedly to the service 

 of man, nor can the muscles of any other slave be so constantly 

 and cruelly overtaxed at his command. In fiction, in poetry, 

 and even in real life, he often gets credited with much wisdom 

 and courage, though he is singularly deficient of both, and many 

 cruel mistakes in his treatment result from the supposition that 

 he is far more intelligent and more aggressively courageous than 

 he really is. He is essentially not a fighting but a flying 

 animal, one that trusts to his speed, and not to his sagacity, 

 courage, or aggressive power for his safety. Even when driven 

 into a yard, or otherwise placed beyond the possibility of escape, 

 the wild horse shows no fight, as most other wild animals will do, 

 but still cowers like the timid 'sheep at the greatest possible 

 distance from any puny pursuer. Completely and continuously 

 gregarious in his habits, the horse never feels so safe, so contented, 

 or so happy as when in company, and his hardest lessons in the 

 service of man are those which confine him to solitary service or 

 solitary confinement, and compel him to face alone dangers that 

 would terrify him even in that companionship which nature has 

 taught him to cling to at any cost of exertion. Even the 

 wounded horse will never voluntarily leave the herd, but gallops 

 with it till he drops, evidently under a feeling implanted in his 

 nature that to be left behind is to be left a prey to some cruel 

 pursuer. This is the simple key to most of the romance Ave 

 hear and read about the horse enjoying the battle, the chase, 

 and the race. Nature has taught him what she teaches all 

 animals that seek safety in flight and in society, that it is 

 dangerous to be left alone, or to be loft behind, a feeling that she 

 has sometimes allowed to seize large bodies, even of that most 

 aggressive animal — man. The vaunted courage of the battle 

 horse is the courage of ignorance and panic. He has with 

 difficulty been taught on parade that sights and sounds that once 

 terrified him are harmless, and he knows no diflTerence Ijetween 

 the boltless noise of the blank cartridge and the deadly balls of 



