THE horse's rescue. 25 



throwing ankles out when moving forward feet 

 pointing on two opposite lines, hind feet traveling 

 in two opposite lines, ofttimes so bad that the lines 

 cross each other six feet from the starting-point; 

 head going on straight line. The horse gets fre- 

 quently a jerk on the mouth for his awkwardness. 

 If he should happen to blunder he would be likely to 

 get thrashed. Then the shoer takes a scurfing for not 

 making that horse move well. " He is an old botch." 

 He tries another. He is told Wood, or Doan may be, 

 can shoe him so he can travel all right. The colt goes 

 the rounds, and the result is not good. Before I get 

 thi'ough this work I will clear some of that fog away. 

 This ends my treatise on the colt 



A FEW REMARKS ON SELECTING A GOOD HORSE FOR 



MYSELF. 



There are many diverse tastes and different opin- 

 ions and judgments in regard to the horse, so I will 

 select one for myself. For the road I like a rangy 

 horse, about ten hundred weight ; foot half way be- 

 tween the cup and large flat foot; short from fetlock 

 down; large arm; heavy cords; leg tapering to the 

 foot ; forward legs well back under ; that is, points of 

 shoulders projecting well over ; not very wide between 

 legs; thin withers; long, thin, arched neck, well cut 

 out under the threat; light, clean head; large, full 

 eyes ; short, straightish back ; broad hips ; round body ?* 

 no curb joints. I never saw a horse too full at the 

 breast to suit me; flat leg; middling straight hind 

 leg, tapering to the feet; ribbed up close; full of 

 courage and ambition. My favorite color is dark 



