HOESES AND HOUNDS. 53 



upon the purchasing of them, and the points to be attended to 

 in selecting them, for the purpose of hunting, the road, or har- 

 ness. The first question generally asked is the age of the horse, 

 should his appearance be approved of; and here the inexpe- 

 rienced man will be entirely at the mercy of the seller, unless he 

 can obtain the assistance of some friend well versed in such 

 matters, or the opinion of a veterinary surgeon, which is not 

 always obtainable. The teeth of a horse undergo great changes 

 from the time of birth to the period when he is between four 

 and five years old, about which time the tush or tusk appears, 

 situated between the front and back teeth. From the marks or 

 grooves in the front teeth the age of the horse may be correctly 

 known by those accustomed to them. At six years old the 

 mark on the two central front teeth is gone, though a slight 

 black stain still remains. At seven years old the mark on the 

 four front teeth of the lower jaw disappears, and that on the 

 two outside ones is wearing out also. After this the experienced 

 alone can determine the age of the horse, but it may be known 

 to them by the teeth on the upper jaw. The disposition and 

 temper of a liorse may be known by his eye, which, when large 

 and full, betokens a good temper ; but when small, with a pro- 

 jecting lid, the reverse is generally the case. Large heads are, 

 in my opinion, very objectionable, as well as what are called 

 Eoman noses, and, generally speaking, are indicative of a bad 

 strain in blood. For carriage horses the shape of the heads may 

 not be of much consequence, but for hunters a small head, or at 

 least a thin one, is indispensable. I never yet saw a horse with 

 a big burly head of good or lasting qualities in the field, although 

 there are of course exceptions to most general rules. 



A friend of mine once purchased a fine-looking animal as a 

 hunter, which he brought out in great form to exhibit, and 

 asked my opinion of him. " His head," I replied, " is quite 

 enough for me." "Well," he said, " but just cast your eye over 

 him ; he is a splendid animal." " All, barring his knowledge- 

 box." His make and shape were good ; in fact, he was what 

 the dealers call a jine topped horse; but there was a deficiency 

 of bone under the knee, as well as exuberance of head, and I 

 advised my friend to consign him at once to the carriage. " Oh 

 no," he replied, " he is a capital hunter, and I intend to show 

 you the way to-day, if we have anything to do." We did have 

 something to do, as it turned out ; but it was more than my 

 friend could do to keep his big-headed brute together, and, after 

 having given him some rattling falls, it ended by his stopping 

 entirely at the last hill and giving in. The next time I saw 

 him he was in his proper place, with a collar on his neck. 



A horse with a big body and thin legs can never carry weight 



