126 THE STUD. 



more play than vice, though I grant horse play- 

 may lead to a sore arm for a day or two ; yet 

 such horses may safely be bought ; they do not 

 contemplate any serious injury to any one. 



The determined biter, like the bulldog, does 

 not give warning of his intention, so as to put us 

 on our guard ; he looks steadily at us, bides his 

 time, and then seizes with a vice-like grip that 

 it is not easy to make him relax ; yet such horses 

 out of doors are often perfectly harmless. We 

 might be led to purchase such a quiet- looking 

 animal, and then find that so soon as he was in 

 his stall, it was dangerous beyond description to 

 get within reach of him. 



I had a mare a most determined biter in the 

 stable, but the best tempered animal alive out of 

 it ; she would lay hold of the toe of my boot as I 

 sat on her, if I held it towards her, and very often 

 of her own accord without ; she would hold it as 

 if she feared to hurt me. I have made her, hun- 

 dreds of times, take pieces of bread held between 

 my lips (a foolish trick, I allow) ; but I have still 

 a nose on my face, nor was it ever in danger from 

 any attempt of her's. She was too good a hunter 

 to be parted with for her fault, for though her 

 bite was awful when she got a chance in the 

 stable, she would let go ; and not, as really savage 

 biters will do, absolutely worry a man. Had she 

 been disposed to do this, I would not have kept 



