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to be shod, except in cities. The great number 

 of horsesj and their cheapness, is the reason why 

 they are worse treated in Chili than almost any 

 country in the world. A common horse will cost 

 a, felippo (about four shillings sterling) a mare 

 about five Roman paolis, or about two shillings 

 sterling. They are fed entirely upon grass, and are 

 kept in the field throughout the year. It is very 

 uncommon to see a peasant walk half a league ; 

 the moment he rises he goes and saddles one of his 

 horses, and uses him the whole day, wthout al- 

 lowing him any time to rest or to feed. To this 

 may be added the long journejs of a hundred 

 leagues and more, which these people make with 

 the * same horse, during the whole of which the 

 horse is only permitted to rest at night. 



Horses capable of enduring such hardships, 

 must be naturally of a firm and strong constitu- 

 tion; but it is perhaps, in a great measure, 

 owing to their being early accustomed to severe 

 fatigue, and the nature of their food, as I have 

 seen those which were very old, and had been in 

 constant service. The horses, in consequence of 

 their different gaits, are divided into three breeds, 

 the most common of which are the trotters. The 

 horses of this breed, as the most robust and vi- 



* In Paraguay and Tucuman they are more humane. Led 

 hordes are always taken there for a journey. E. E. 



Bolrixhoff'es. 



