THE HORSE AND ITS DISEASES. 11 



unprotected by its master, they will instantly attack him 

 with their heels and teeth, and thereby speedily destroy 

 it. Among the Tartars, the flesh of the horse is a 

 frequent article of food, and although they do not, like 

 tlie Indians of the pampas, eat it raw, yet their mode of 

 cooking would be very uninviting to the European 

 epicures; they cut the muscular part into slices, and 

 place them under their saddles, and after having galloped 

 thirty or forty miles, the meat becomes tender and fit 

 for use ; even at all their feasts, the first and last, and 

 most favored dish, is a horse's head. When water was 

 not at hand, the Scythians used to draw blood from 

 their horses and drink it. The Dukes of Musco%y, for 

 nearly two hundred years, presented the Ambassadors 

 from Tartary who attended their courts, with mares' milk. 



The Domestication of the Horse. 



The domestication of the horse may be regarded as one 

 of the most important acquisitions made by man from 

 the animal kingdom; without this most useful quadrupid, 

 civilization must have made comparatively little progress. 

 The horse contributes largely to our luxuries, pleasures, 

 and services — he facilitates and lessens the labours of the 

 field — he transports burdens, and man himself, to the 

 most distant parts with certainty, celerity, and ease — he 

 is ever the most faithful and obedient servant of his 

 master — his form, temper, and sagacity have been most 

 admirably and wisely adapted to our use ; whether we 

 contemj^late the powerful and symmetrical structure of 

 his frame, the elegance of his limbs, evincing strength 

 and speed in their movements — his large and sparkling 

 eyes, which either beam with mild intelligence, or flash 

 with energetic fire, or the docility and tractability of his 

 disposition, we cannot fail to regard him as one of the 

 noblest of animated beings . In addition to these qualities 

 he possesses the most intrepid courage ; he has been the 

 bearer of man in the bloody field of battle, where he 

 feaiiessly meets every danger; the most appalling die- 



