THE CARE OF HORSES 



CHAPTER I 



THE HORSE 



The horse, no matter what his height or breed — 

 universally recognised as the 'friend of man ' — is one 

 of the most beautiful and interesting of animals. 



As with people, so with horses, one scarcely ever 

 finds two alike in disposition and temper ; and if 

 people who have to deal with them would or could 

 only realize this most important fact, the number of 

 ' wrong uns ' would be materially lessened. Every 

 one knows the time-old saying, ' God sent the food, 

 but the devil sent the cooks,' and this wise saw may, 

 I take it, be very aptly applied, with the substitution 

 of ' horses ' for ' food ' and ' grooms ' for ' cooks.' 



Many a good horse is ruined or rendered vicious 

 and useless merely by ill-treatment in the stable. 

 How often an ignorant groom will rob his horse of 

 his full share of corn because at feeding-time the 

 animal has exhibited too eager a desire to satisfy his 

 hunger, and when his attendant has gone to the 

 manger has commenced a mad sort of dance, to the 

 terror of the groom ! 



The feed is promptly tossed in, the man retires 

 with a rush, and immediately returns to administer 



i 



