66 THE HORSE. 



would be still more uncommon were proper and sufficient 

 food regularly supplied. 



Who has ever heard of a stage-coach horse, unstinted 

 in his food, eating to this excess; or a horse at grass 

 bursting himself in this manner? 



Craving horses are the horses that should be selected 

 for real work, but they are liable to become crib-biters if 

 too stringent a rule be observed in the matter of food or 

 exercise. 



On the other hand, it is the horse having a delicate 

 stomach, and not the hard- worker, that requires pamper- 

 ing and nursing, care being taken that he be not fed ad 

 nauseam. Such a horse, on account of his indisposition 

 to feed or work, does not show much evidence of past 

 labor. 



Except where under medical treatment, he is 



THE SOUKD HORSE. 



The sound horse is often too delicate to undergo an 

 amount of work which distresses the legs, but he is nev- 

 ertheless much coveted; while the useful horse, possessing 

 good stamina, the power to work without causing pain to 

 himself, and every evidence that he will long retain that 

 power, is too often rejected, because he shows a few signs 

 of past work. 



Horse-buyers are too apt to be frightened at trifles 

 through their ignorance of real and imaginary defects. 

 When horses are being tried, it is no uncommon occur- 

 rence to see an animal brought out with a little enlarge- 

 ment upon some part of him. He is instantly rejected, 

 with, " I can never think of having that!" Another 

 is brought forward that has some other trifling ailment, 

 and he is sent back with the remark, " Put him in; that's 

 quite enough! " A useless one may, probably, be brought 



