DEFECTIVE SIGHT. 6^ 



valuable animal. I have had several. When they 

 habitually go straight, they are often particularly 

 pleasant horses to drive, and a great many of them, 

 for road use, remarkably pleasant to ride also. 

 Two or three of the safest and best road hacks 

 I ever had were stone blind. In fact, setting aside 

 appearance, I should in no way object to put a 

 lady on many blind horses. I would very much 

 23refer such a one to another that shied : blind 

 horses are almost invariably safe unless infirmity 

 renders them otherwise ; and have on an average 

 better action. In reference to my observation as 

 to their going straight, I make it because horses 

 when they first become blind are timid and un- 

 certain as to where to go ; but when they get ac- 

 customed to be guided by the bit, learn to go 

 w^ith confidence straight on till some indication is 

 given them to diverge from the straight line. I 

 have generally also found blind horses light in the 

 mouth. This I attribute to their beino- sensible 

 they cannot trust to their own guidance, so are 

 always ready to yield to that of the rider. I 

 have also generally found them lively horses, 

 arising no doubt from their apprehension of danger 

 from their infirmity, which keeps them (unless of 

 a determinate sluggish temperament) always on 

 the qui Vive : a kind of feeling, I consider, in- 

 dispensable in a hack or buggy horse. 



There is one peculiarity in blind horses for 

 r 3 



