OP THE HORSE. 5 



It is only however in a private stable, ov in that 



of a respectable dealer, that these criteria can be 



depended upon : for in a market-place, the 



animal is too much excited by the cracking of 



whips, and the too frequent application of them, 



to be judged of as regards his temper. Neither 



must the buyer be thrown off his guard by the 



animation which horses display at an auction, or 



on coming out of the stable of a petty dealer, 



for it is a fact which cannot be too well made 



known, that there are many unprincipled dealers 



who make it their business, before showing a 



horse, to "put some life in him," that is, they 



torture him with the lash, till, between pain and 



fear, the poor animal is so much excited as to 



bound from side to side with his utmost agility, 



at the least sound or movement of the bystanders. 



Such a wretched want of humanity cannot bo 



too severely censured, and I would neither buy 



nor recommend another to buy, from a man, who 



degrades himself by such abominable cruelty and 



pitiful eflPorts to cheat his customer. However, 



I believe, most well-informed and respectable 



dealers have now done away with, and prohibited 



their grooms, from whipping as well as many 



other paltry and easily seen through attempts to 



