82 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



above all, in the little kind offices they perform 

 mutually. It is an every-day occurrence to see two 

 horses gently scratching each other ; and Mr. Jesse 

 speaks of it as a well-known fact, that in hot countries 

 where the blood of the horses is heated by the cli- 

 mate, they are in the constant habit of bleeding each 

 other, and sometimes of bleeding themselves, by 

 biting the neck or the shoulder. So strong is the 

 horse's aptitude for friendship, that he will attach 

 himself to almost any kind of animal rather than 

 remain solitary. White, of Selborne, relates an in- 

 stance of this kind between a horse and a hen. These 

 two incongruous animals spent much of their time 

 together in a lonely orchard, where they saw no 

 creature but each other, and by degrees an apparent 

 regard sprang up between them. The fowl would 

 approach the quadruped with notes of complacency, 

 rubbing herself quietly against his legs, whilst the 

 horse would look down with satisfaction, and move 

 with the greatest caution and circumspection lest he 

 should trample on his diminutive companion. In the 

 portrait of the celebrated Godolphin Arabian is seen 

 a cat, which was his inseparable companion in the 

 stable, and died really broken hearted for his loss. 

 Another race-horse and cat were great friends, and 

 the latter generally slept in the manger. When the 



