20 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



with every variety of the horse and for every pur- 

 pose, not in scattering instances, but in quantities 

 often amounting to hundreds, has afforded oppor- 

 tunity to the writer for unHmited investigation and 

 experiment — and the results are as herein set forth, 

 the reasons are as here narrated. 



Competently to handle any animal we must under- 

 stand its mental and physical limitations. The rattle- 

 snake is harmless if grasped in a certain fashion and 

 handled in a certain way ; it will wave about to cer- 

 tain music, but it will neither give milk like a cow, 

 nor pull a load like a horse. The seal learns to beat 

 drums, etc., but can never climb a tree, nor stand on 

 its head like a monkey. His peailiar limitations 

 environ the horse likewise, and he must be asked to 

 do only what he can accomplish, in the way he can 

 perform it. His predominating characteristics are 

 foolishness, timidity, bullying propensity, a one- 

 ideaed mind, a strong memory, ignorance of words, 

 understanding of sounds, more easily if associated 

 with gestures, keen hearing, sharp sight, etc. ; and as 

 these are the possessions of all horses, — in however 



