THE HORSE. 173 



deviate as little as possible from the road. This 

 practice persevered in will, in time, awaken the ani- 

 mal's common sense, and put to sleep his apprehen- 

 sions. On all occasions, great severity should be 

 reserved for vice and roguery. Horses free from vice 

 are ever most easily and profitably managed by mild 

 and considerate treatment ; and many have I known 

 of such docile, kind, and accommodating disposi- 

 tions, that it is one of the deadly sins to treat them 

 otherwise. Par exemple, a few years since, I had 

 occasion to go to Smitham Bottom, to see a colt be- 

 lonoing- to an absent Irish friend, tried two miles. I 

 had a hack from Sex's livery stables, precisely one of 

 the above kind description, apparently desirous of 

 pleasing his rider in all things. We were jogging 

 on at the rate of seven or eight miles per hour, when 

 the horse gently slackened his pace and then stopped, 

 without any intimation from me, saying as well as he 

 could, " Oh ! you have dropped something." In 

 effect, I had dropped my whip, and dismounting, the 

 nag turned his head, to see me recover that which I 

 had dropped. When he found me remounted, away 

 he went, as cheerfully as possible, and seemingly 

 with self-approbation at having acted right. I have, 

 in my day, had the pleasure of forming sundry in- 

 timate acquaintances with horses of this description ; 

 with one beyond all others. It is not the whole of 

 their duty for masters themselves to learn and prac- 

 tise rational, mild and fair treatment, towards their 

 animals ; it is a material branch of that duty to instruct 

 their servants, and to ascertain how far their instruc- 

 tions are obeyed. Horses, and the domestic animals 



