120 THE HORSE. 



In forming an estimate of any particular horse, it is 

 a good plan at first to take a general and rapid surrey 

 of his outline. The first impression is frequently wor- 

 thy of attention ; but if it is not well founded, it can 

 easily be rectified afterwards. After this cursory in- 

 spection, it will be well to examine every important 

 point in detail, keeping steadily in yie^Y the peculiari- 

 ties of form which the animal shoidd possess, for the 

 purpose for which he is designed. A horse ought al- 

 ways to present such distmctive features as will at once 

 set him down for some specific use. If he is a nonde- 

 script animal — ^fitted for one pui^Dose in one part, and a 

 different pui-pose in another part, but for nothmg on 

 the whole — if, in short, he has neither trade, profes- 

 sion, nor occupation, the sooner he is thi'own to the 

 dogs the better. Let the perfections and imperfections 

 of evejy point be carefully obseiwed in detail, and then 

 the observer will be in a position to rectify or confirm 

 the fii'st impressions which he received. It will even 

 be necessary to take a second look at the general out- 

 line, for the pm-pose of observing how the most impor- 

 tant parts ai-e fitted for, and connected Tvith each 

 other. Nothing could be of more consequence than 

 the proportional development and exact balancing of 

 the difierent parts of the machinery. It is the rarest 

 thing imaginable to find a horse well proportioned 

 throughout ; but when he is found, I would recommend 

 the owner not to pait with him on any account. 



