98 MY horse; my love. 



into which one man plunged impetuously, intending 

 his horse to swim the distance. From the horse's 

 struggles I realized in a moment that the martingale 

 was not undone and the horse's nose was below the 

 water line. The frantic animal soon unseated his 

 brave rider, who immediately sank before our eyes, 

 having been kicked in the desperate effort of the 

 poor horse to free his head. He finally found the 

 solid ground under him, and came ashore. But his 

 rider, one of the best horsemen I ever knew, rose to 

 the surface a drowned man; and all our efforts to 

 recuscitate him proved unavailing — I have never 

 since found any use for the martingale." 



What are the principal causes of blindness, Count? 



" If the nose-bone be affected by disease the nerves 

 of the eyes will suffer, and unless the trouble can 

 yield to treatment, as it does in man, the horse will 

 eventually become blind. Knocking in the head or 

 nostrils, which some human brutes seem to think an 

 effectual punishment; striking sharply with a whip 

 over the ears and head, or teeth from which the 

 enamel is broken and the nerves exposed ; all sooner 

 or later affect the eyes and sight. Pulling daily 

 very heavy loads up-hill, and choking with tight col- 

 lars, as well as the sudden passage from a dark stable 

 to the bright sunlight or dazzling snow, help to pro- 

 duce blindness." 



Is it not remarkable the way in which blind horses 

 can go about, avoiding difficulties, sliding off just 

 in time to escape hitting their heads against a fence 

 or stone wall? 



" For this reason I would much prefer a blind horse 



