30 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



curiosity when a strange horse comes in sight, and the 

 animated gestures and neighings with which they try 

 to strike up an acquaintance, and, above all, in the lit- 

 tle kind offices they perform mutually. It is an every- 

 day occurrence to see two horses gently scratching 

 each other ; and Mr. Jesse speaks of it as a well- 

 known fact, that in hot countries where the blood of 

 the horses is heated by the climate, they are in the 

 constant habit of bleeding each other, and sometimes 

 of bleeding themselves, by biting the neck or the 

 shoulder. So strong is the horse's aptitude for friend- 

 ship, that he will attach himself to almost any kind of 

 animal rather than remain solitary. White, of Sel- 

 borne, relates an instance of this kind between a horse 

 and a hen. Those two incongruous animals spent 

 much of their lime together in a lonely orchard, where 

 they saw no creature but each other, and by degrees 

 an apparent regard sprang up between them. The 

 fowl would approach the quadruped with notes of com- 

 placency, rubbing herself quietly against his legs, 

 whilst the horse would look down with satisfaction, 

 and move with the greatest caution and circumspection, 

 lest he should trample on his diminutive companion. 

 In the portrait of the celebrated Godolphin Arabian is 

 seen a cat, which was his inseparable companion in the 

 stable, and died really broken-hearted for his loss. 

 Another race-horse and cat were great friends, and the 

 latter generally slept in the manger. When the horse 



