20 HORSE PORTRAITURE. 



four-mile race horse, at the close of a hard season's cam- 

 paign. He actually reeled in his walk, and I fancy he has 

 never overcome the habit, and still walks as if he was 

 strained in the loin. 



His sire is said to have been thoroughbred, and from 

 his appearance he is undoubtedly possessed of a good deal 

 of breeding. I am very sanguine of his going fast, and 

 hope, under your guidance, not to be disappointed. 



PKECEPTOK. There is certainly nothing in his form to 

 prevent him, and if his education has always been of the 

 kind he was tortured with last summer, and he displays 

 speed at times, we will give him a " fair show," trusting, 

 by proper management, to overcome the faulty tuition, 

 and take the crook out of the bent twig. His shape is 

 certainly good, more so than the average of our fast ones; 

 his neck and shoulders are very fine, his barrel first-rate, 

 with good limbs. The worst points I see are a slackness 

 about the loin, and narrowness of the head, betokening a 

 foolishness which will require careful handling not to 

 augment. The white stripe lights up his face, animating 

 his countenance, relieving it in a great measure from the 

 bad effects that would otherwise be apparent from the 

 narrowness of the skull I spoke of. I agree with you that 

 he shows a good deal of blood, which is all that probably 

 saved him through the ordeal of blankets and rugs, 

 scrapers and rubbers. I see from the scars, he has been 

 grabbing his quarters, and I should judge he had some 

 pretty severe wounds. This may have occurred from 

 faulty shoeing or bad driving. Very few horses properly 

 shod and handled will cut themselves, though there are 

 exceptions. I have known several that nothing would 

 avert the blow, save the best of boots made by Gibson, or 

 some one equally well versed in the manufacture of that 

 part of horse equipments ; but that and shoeing will come 

 more appropriately as we progress. What name do you 



