BUYING HORSES. 423 



ally depicts the sullen obstinacy of a low class of 

 person who will ''neither lead nor drive." I think 

 that this dogged obstinacy of temper is rarely met 

 with among thoroughbred, or even well-bred horses, 

 for I have found it to exist in its worst form only 

 among half-breds, and especially among those which 

 have hackney blood in their veins. As a rule, a bad- 

 tempered thoroughbred does not sulk, he fights openly, 

 says his say, like an irritated master or mistress, and, 

 having relieved his mind, lets the matter drop, and 

 does not nurture it up for future use, like the servants 

 in the kitchen. My advice to any lady who is trying 

 to win the regard of a sullen brute of this class, would 

 be to give up the task as hopeless, get rid of him, 

 and expend her kindness on an animal more worthy 

 of it. No horse that will not '' chum " with you, by 

 ready obedience without asserting himself at every 

 step he takes, is worth his keep, and it is no pleasure 

 to either man or woman to ride such animals, however 

 excellent both the rider's temper and horsemanship 

 may be. 



I would recommend any lady who is about to 

 purchase a horse, to do her best to find out, not only 

 if the animal is quiet, but if his former owner was also 

 amiable, and on no account to buy a horse which 

 has been spoiled by a bad-tempered man, or woman, 

 supposing that any of my sex is sour-tempered, which 

 I very much doubt, unless, of course, she had been 

 spoiled by a vicious male ! We should bear in mind 

 that absolute perfection, either among humans or 



