96 HOW TO BUY A PIORSt. 



the horse to be right, and, therefore, you have one intelli- 

 gent opinion in jour favor. 



Secondly: Breeders' and farmers' horses are usually so 

 overloaded Avith flesh and fat, especially at agricultural 

 shows and horse fairs — having been prepared, in order to 

 make the best show, by feeding them on hot mashes, boiled 

 grain, boiled potatoes and the like, and by keeping them 

 in hot stables — that it is difficult, if not impossible, to come 

 to any trae judgment as to the horse's real points ; and 

 that, even if the horse be bought rightly — which means 

 well and wisely — ^for exactly what he is, and about what 

 he is worth, there will be great risk of ruining him utterly 

 if he be put to hard" work in his present condition ; and 

 if he be judiciously prepared by his buyer before putting 

 him to work, much time, much pains, and much expense 

 will have to be laid out on him before he can be of any 

 real utility. 



Lastly: Horses in the hands of the former or breeder 

 are never properly bitted, broken, or trained to going; 

 and unless the buyer be able to break him in these re- 

 spects, to form and finish him himself — which is to pre- 

 suppose him to be a perfect horseman — it will cost him 

 half as much more to have him trained and rendered fit 

 for use, by a horse jockey or trainer, as it did to become 

 his owner in the first instance. Therefore, it is ever the 

 better and wiser way to buy at first, of a reputable dealer, 

 a horse which is in working order, whose faults and excel- 

 lences are both known to the seller, if he choose to let 

 them out, and which can, be both' critically examined, 

 owing to his being in working condition, and tried on the 

 road, under saddle or in harness, if desirable. 



The second great iTile is, not to imagine that perfection 

 can be bought for a song, or that great excellence is com- 

 patible \vith great cheapness. A remarkable bargain in 



