63 



prevent the saddle working too far forward, and 

 ,so far it deserves attention. I have heard good 

 'practical judges attach great value to a rise in the 

 shoulder-blade, as respects the safety of the horse's 

 action. My own experience, however, does not 

 enable me to confirm the truth of the remark, 

 though I have certainly noticed that horses with 

 free action have generally a well-raised shoulder. 



A man who is not a very timid rider, will act 

 wisely in choosing a high-couraged horse ; not one 

 of capricious or irritable temper — that is a very 

 idifferent thing, — but, to use a common phrase, a 

 horse of " good pluck," one that is ready " to go," 

 without asking too many inconvenient questions of 

 why and where. I firmly believe that in many 

 instances, animals of this description, even when 

 unsound, are practically safer than the soundest 

 slugs. Their " courage keeps them up," is quite 

 i proverbial expression among grooms and post- 

 boys, and there is more truth in it than is usually 

 supposed. A high-couraged horse is less sensible 

 of fatigue than those of a tame and quiet temper- 

 iment. We may judge in some measure by what 

 ive daily observe in human nature : a man of 

 Banguine disposition w^ill often endure a degree of 

 oodily fatigue from which men of less mental 



