GOOD INDICATIONS. 115 



The ears should be of good size, but not too large, 

 having a medium width, plenty of life, the erect and 

 quick motion indicating activity and spirit. The ear 

 always acts in unison with the eye, and is the certain 

 index of the temper of the horse, betraying the inward 

 meditations of malice or affection. The forehead 

 should be broad, and the eyes of equal size and bril- 

 liancy without spot or shadow. They must be per- 

 fectly sensible of light, and of objects passing before 

 them. This may be readily determined by waving the 

 fingers close to each eye. The strength of the sight 

 is proved by the liveliness of the winks. In the human 

 eye it is proved by the contraction and dilatation of the 

 iris of the eye ; and when this contraction and dilatation 

 differ in intensity, so will the sight of one eye differ 

 from the sight of the other. When the contraction 

 and dilatation cease altogether, or rather when the 

 pupil remains perfectly dilated without the power of 

 contraction, then the retina is in a state of paralysis, 

 and the sight is either totally lost, or in a very likely 

 way of being so ; in the horse, the contraction and 

 dilatation of the iris are not palpable to the spectator, 

 because his own person is so forcibly reflected upon the 

 pupil of the eye, as to obscure the effect of the sudden 



