HORSES 29 



of gratifying the particul-ir desire they may have 

 for work to their liking. It is sheer nonsense, with 

 the intelligence horses possess, to pretend to ignore 

 that they are not endowed with sufficient reason 

 to be able to discriminate the character of ground 

 upon which they can do their best, or whicli goes 

 best w ith them. 



You have only to observe what I shall choose 

 to call the 'mannerisms' of horses in their work, 

 and now and again you will see some particular 

 animal object to go here or there, but elsewhere 

 he will be quite contented, and will jump oft' and 

 put heart into his work, going throughout with 

 evident relish. Taking things as you liud Ihem, 

 this is always put dov/n to tejnper, and a horse 

 won't be long before he gets the credit of being 

 a wayward brute, and will be treated as such. 



It is, however, any odds on a horse of this char- 

 acter being in the right, and if his course of train- 

 ing, in point of the selction of the ground, were so 

 followed, it would be far better lor the Jiorse, j.nd 

 doubly so for his owner. I am quite aware there 

 will be a good many, having charge of horses, who 

 will not be disix)sed to agree with this maimer of 

 treatment, but for all that, I recommend them, for 

 once in a way, to put aside their prejudices and 

 try it. 



