INTKODUCTION. 5 



of a ceitain degree of presumption in attempting 

 to guide his taste in the selection of horses, in 

 respect of their looks. I should most certainly be 

 guilty of great presumption if I set up my in- 

 dividual taste, and judgment, as a criterion by 

 which others should be guided. But I do not do 

 so as recrards this matter any more than I do in 

 other particulars : I merely lay before others what 

 are held to be points of beauty, or their reverse, 

 by those whose judgment is to be taken as cor- 

 rect. The only accusation of self-sufficiency that 

 could with justice be brought against me is, the 

 thinking that I do know what are the opinions of 

 good judges and critics in such matters. To this I 

 beg to state, by way of reply, that I have from 

 childhood so constantly heard the opinions of such 

 persons on all things relating to horses, that I 

 really have them by heart ; and, this being the case, 

 I trust the laying of such opinions before the 

 reader may in many cases be serviceable to him : 

 this is the only merit I lay claim to. 



I act precisely on the same principle when 

 treating on the shape, make, and action of horses, 

 which are matters of far more serious import than 

 his looks ; that is, for general purposes, and for the 

 generality of owners ; for, though there are excep- 

 tions to most cases, the man who purchases in 

 conformity with the general opinion of good judges, 

 will unquestionably be far more likely to get that 



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