38 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



spoken he would have been recognised as a stranger, 

 and probably killed off-hand. 



Horses kept in what is practically solitary con- 

 finement, as is the case with many stallions, and with 

 trotters and race-horses far too often, form strange 

 and touching friendships with all sorts of animals, — 

 cats, dogs, goats, sheep, fowls, etc., — and are some- 

 times quite inconsolable without them, provided their 

 solitary existence is continued. It has always 

 seemed, however, that too much stress was put 

 upon the display of affection by , the equine, and 

 hardly any of the credit given to his little com- 

 panion, who always made the first advances, and 

 who could leave the box at any time, but preferred 

 to stop with his big " pal." How true this is may 

 be proved by turning such a horse out to grass with 

 others, or even alone, and by confining his partner 

 where he can see and be with him if he zmll — nor 

 perhaps, if he could always see him would the test 

 be fair, for that might suffice. Not in one case in 

 a thousand will the steed pay any further attention 

 to his erstwhile cherished comrade. 



