168 AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE. 



doing his work within himself, as it is termed, and will 

 not be easily fatigued ; while the horse whose body is 

 swinging, as it were between his limbs, will have a 

 very slack, uncomfortable gait, and will be very easily 

 fatigued. He may have a showy action, which might 

 lead the casual observer to imagine that he was going 

 at a tremendous pace ; but a few miles of heavy work 

 makes him drag his legs heavily, and, in a long journey, 

 he gives up with downright exhaustion. 



Horses are as different as men. In buying, look first 

 to his head and eyes, for signs of intelligence, temper, 

 courage and honesty. The eye should be well developed ; 

 hazel is a good colour. Unless a horse has brains, you 

 can't teach him more than a half-witted child. See that 

 tall bay there, a fine-looking animal too, fifteen hands 

 high. You can't teach that horse anything. Why ? 

 Well, I'll show you, but have a care of his heels. Look at 

 the brute's head, that rounding nose, that tapering fore- 

 head, that broad full face below the eyes. You can't 

 trust him. " That's an awful good mare !" may be said 

 of another. True as the sun. You can see breadth and 

 fulness between her eyes. You couldn't hire that mare 

 to act mean or hurt anybody. I like a small, thin ear, and 

 want a horse to hold his ears well foward. Look out for 

 the brute that seems to listen to all the conversation going 

 on behind him. The horse that turns back his ears till 

 they almost meet at the points is sure to be up to tricks. 

 A horse with a dishing face is cowardly, and a sulking 

 brute is always vicious. I like a square muzzle, with 

 large nostrils, to let in plenty of air to the lungs. So 

 much for the head. Next the build of the animal. Never 

 buy a long-legged stilty horse. A short, straight back 

 and a straight rump, are indications of a reliable type. 

 The withers high and the shoulders well set back and 

 broad. The foreleg short. A pretty straight, hind leg, 

 with the hock low down, short pastern joints and a 

 rounded foot. There are all kinds of horses, but the 

 animal that has these points is pretty sure to be 

 sightly, graceful, and, most likely is good-natured and 

 serviceable for the work that nature intended him for. 



