182 UNASKED ADVICE. 



but_, though while he has him he keeps him " to look at/' 

 as the phrase goes, he keeps him no longer than he can 

 help, and, if he be a judge of men as well as of horses, 

 may sell him to some one whom he will suit perfectly. 

 But this requires tact and judgment. If a seller said to 

 his customer, " This horse is not worth his corn to me, 

 as he will stop in ten minutes if ridden straight to hounds, 

 but is worth money to you^ as being sound and quiet, 

 with a failing that you will never discover, as you seldom 

 gallop, and never jump,^^ would the buyer take the horse 

 in a gift ? I rather imagine not. If the fault was not men- 

 tioned, the timid rider would find himself perfectly suited, 

 and could have no reason for complaining — would, in fact, 

 probably be delighted with his purchase. If such ahorse, 

 on the other hand, was sold to a hard-riding man, he 

 would consider himself " stuck,^' and justly so. For, in 

 stable matters above all others, we find the truth of the 

 proverb, that "what is one man's meat is another's 

 poison.'' The Clipper was considered to be about the 

 best horse in Leicestershire, and, with Mr. Lindo on him, 

 I believe he was so ; but what would a nervous elderly 

 gentleman have thought of him ? Such a one would 

 most likely never have got him to the covert side at all, 

 and, if he had managed that much, why, so much the 

 worse for him afterwards. 



Some men keep horses for show, others for use. To 

 do the first is the part of a rich man — at least, any other 

 who attempts it will find out his mistake. Of course no 

 one would for choice possess a really frightful horse ; but 

 poor men must sacrifice appearance, more or less, to 

 utility. A pair of 40L phaeton horses may be found, 

 which will do as much work as the most expensive pair 

 that ever came out of — shall we say Mr. Sheward's stable ? 



