A FEW FACTS ABOUT ALL HORSES. 35 



this fact, it is stated that mounted hunters have 

 been overtaken and killed by fierce and enraged 

 wild buffaloes. 



Also notice how a young foal will lie down. 

 It will stretch itself fully out. A calf, on the 

 other hand, will curl itself round in as small a 

 space as possible. You will read the reason for 

 this in the chapter on the cow. 



In these open plains there was little or no 

 cover for concealment, nor was there any need 

 for a herd of wild horses to conceal themselves. 

 They trusted to escape their enemies by their speed 

 and quick sense of hearing and eyesight, and not 

 to the protection of concealment, as does the calf. 



When a horse is alarmed it throws its head as 

 high in the air as possible, as if desirous of 

 obtaining the most extended compass of view. 

 This is what it would naturally do on the open 

 plains, for the farther away it could see its 

 enemies approaching the longer notice it would 

 get, and the better would be its chance of escape. 



Take bucking, kicking, and shying. You 

 must have noticed all horses when they are first 

 turned out in the fields after confinement for 

 some time in a stable, how they will gallop about, 

 and with heads well down will kick and buck. 

 You can at once understand that this would be 

 the best plan for a horse to adopt to get rid of a 

 beast of prey that had sprung upon its back. With 



