CHOICE OF THE HORSE. 903 



and who, as a rule, will harness the better one of the two on the left 

 side and the poorer one on the right. In this manner it will be easy 

 to find out if there is between them a great disproportion in vigor and in 

 the gait, a difference which would perhaps not have been otherwise per- 

 ceived. The horses are held by an assistant standing between them, 

 who makes them, according to the orders of the purchaser, successively 

 walk, back, turn to the right and to the left, after which, if the trial 

 is satisfactory, there is nothing more to be done but to hitch the horses 

 to the carriage. This is the most difficult and most important pro- 

 cedure of all, and great attention should be paid to it. All dealers 

 possess vehicles of various sorts intended to train and to exhibit mated 

 horses. The purchaser makes the pair pass before him in every direc- 

 tion ; finally, he gets on the seat and drives, or employs some trust- 

 worthy person to drive for him. 



The following qualifications must be found in horses that are to be 

 mated : 1st, identity of race, energy, and temperament ; 2d, equality 

 of age ; 3d, equality of height, form, and length ; 4th, harmony of 

 the gait ; 5th, the same quantity of force and good breeding ; 6th, 

 the same kind of coat. The last point, which is really only a matter 

 of fashion and taste, is at present sometimes waived. Often, not to 

 mention little details which cannot be absolutely alike in the two 

 horses of one pair, such as white feet, or some peculiar mark on the 

 head, a radical difference of the coats is accepted, and very fine coach 

 teams are to be seen composed of a dapple-gray and a bay. Of course 

 this combination will not give the perfection of elegance which would 

 result from absolute similarity in the two subjects, but with respect to 

 their value, such a pair will frequently be better mated and more easily 

 found, and, therefore, will cost much less. 



5. HORSES WHICH MAY BE MOUNTED OR DRIVEN AT WILL. 



There are horses which may be indifferently driven to a carriage or 

 mounted, according to the pleasure of the owner. Let us here remark 

 that the advantages of this double utilization are less absolute than 

 relative, and more imaginary than real. A good saddle-horse always 

 loses in value by being driven much, just as the driving-horse makes 

 an indifferent saddle-horse. In this respect, it is with horses as with 

 hunting dogs* If the latter are indifferently employed as bird-dogs 

 or rabbit-dogs, etc., they will soon lose their good qualities for either 

 service, but afterwards will tend to return to the special use for which 

 they have the greatest aptitude ; the true sportsman will have none of 

 them, and he is right. 



