PREFACE. 9 



worked. Horses not over-worked improve in beauty 

 from eight to sixteen years. During that period the car- 

 tilage becomes absorbed, the head smaller and sharper in 

 outline; the prominent bones and tissues again present a 

 youthful roundness, the legs become fine, and the ten- 

 dons acquire a sharp, well-defined appearance; the horse 

 himself might be taken by a good judge to be much 

 younger than in reality he is, did not his mouth bear ev- 

 idence to the contrary. The connoisseur, however, 

 rarely needs the evidence of the mouth, the general shape 

 and contour of the horse being in most cases sufficient. 



It may be some consolation to those whose knowledge 

 or rather predilection for certain horses is derived from 

 books, to learn that large " users" very rarely obtain ex- 

 actly such horses as they would choose, they therefore 

 adopt the wise course of balancing one thing with an- 

 other, and purchase the best they can get. 



The present Duke of Wellington recently observed of 

 a horse: " A great many faults might be found with his 

 hocks; he could not pass an examination. But I do not 

 mind, I know well enough he is a good wearer, and I 

 will give you a cheque for him." The duke's observa- 

 tion proved him to be a practical horseman; in short, a 

 good judge. Horses are essentially animals for use, and 

 although the whole modern system of breeding and train- 

 ing tends to produce animals compactly built and beauti- 

 ful to look upon, still no amount of training will conceal 

 from the practised eye the features useful or useless for 

 the purpose in view. 



