26 



care that his wind is good ; for a trial of this, let 

 him be fed on good hay for twenty-four hours, 

 take him then to water, and let him drink his fill ; 

 place him with his head the lowest, if then he 

 will breathe free, there is no danger. See that 

 his countenance is bright and cheerful ; this is an 

 excellent mirror to discover his goodness in. If 

 his nostrils are broad, it is a sign that he is well 

 winded ; narrow nostrils the contrary. 



See that his spirits are good, but that he is gen- 

 tle and easily governed; not inclined to start. — 

 In travelling, mind that he lifts his feet neither 

 too high or too low ; that he does not interfere 

 or overreach, and that he carries his hind legs the 

 widest. See that he is well ribbed back, and not 

 high boned. The size may be determined by 

 the purchaser. Age, from five to ten is the best. 

 There are many tricks practised by jockies, to 

 make horses appear young, but it is not consist- 

 ent with the size of my book, to detect them ; 

 all I would say is, that horses' teeth when young 

 are wide, white and even ; the inside of their 

 mouths are fleshy, and their lips hard and firm. 

 On the contrary, the mouth of an old horse is lean 

 above and below, the lips are soft and easily turn- 

 ed up ; their teeth grow longer, narrower, and of 

 a yellow colour. 



REMARKS ON TRAVELLING. 



According to my promise, I shall give my 

 readers a few directions relative to travelling 

 horses. If you are to take a long journey, you 

 must prepare your horse by good feeding and 

 gentle exercise. A horse that is exhausted with 

 hard labour,^ advanced in age, or very young, 

 will not bear the fatigues of a long journey. — ^ 

 Neither will a very fat horse, or one who has liv- 



