PREFACE. XIX. 



general usefulness. The first thing, that struck me, was 

 the remarkably short time, he took, before he availed himself 

 of the opportunity, afforded him by a loose box, of lying 

 down and resting his feet : he was not there an hour, before 

 he was stretched out at full length, like a dead horse ; and 

 I do not overstate the fact, when I assert, that excepting 

 the time, he was feeding, being dressed, or had his 

 harness on, he was scarcely ever seen in any other attitude 

 in his box for the first two months. I found considerable 

 difficulty in persuading my coachman, that it was the best 

 position, he could assume ; and therefore never to disturb 

 him : he was convinced, the horse was boddy ill, and seemed 

 to think, that I was guilty of neglect in not torturing him 

 in some way or other for his unknown complaint : the horse 

 however evidently took my view of the matter, for, unless he 

 was trodden upon, or kicked, he never so mucli, as raised 

 his head from the ground, when any one went into his box. 

 At the end of about two months he was occasionally found 

 standing up, unoccupied; and the intervals between Ms lying 

 down became gradually longer and longer, until at last he 

 ceased altogether to rest himself in tliis manner during the 

 day ; and for the last sixteen or eighteen months he has 

 never been seen down, excepting at night, or in the early 

 morning. When I bought him, he was decidedly unsafe to 

 ride from " dropping " and " stumbling " ; and I observed, that 



