THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 25 



"Many persons erroneously suppose that the 

 flow of tears, caused by bodily pain or emotions of 

 the mind, is peculiar to man. But Shakspere says of 

 the wounded stag : 



"The big round tears 



Coursed one another down his innocent nose 

 In piteous chase;" 



and horses are repeatedly seen to weep under acute 

 pain or brutal usage. Mr. Lawrence, speaking of 

 the cruelty exercised by some dealers in what they 

 call "firing" a horse before he is led out for sale, in 

 order to rouse every spark of mettle, says, " More 

 than fifty years have passed away, and I have before 

 my eyes a poor mare stone blind, exquisitely shaped, 

 and showing all the marks of high blood, whom I saw 

 unmercifully cut with the whip a quarter of an hour 

 before the sale, to bring her to the use of her stiffened 

 limbs, while the tears were trickling down her 

 cheeks.' 1 



The size, setting on, and motion of the ear, are 

 important points. Ears rather small than large, 

 placed not too far apart, erect and quick in motion, 

 indicate both breeding and spirit; and if a horse 

 is in the frequent habit of carrying one ear forward, 

 and the other backward, and especially if he does so 

 on a journey, he will generally possess both spirit 



