The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



searching scrutiny, deducing date, direction, 

 sex and individuals with accuracy. 



On EngUsh roads there is nothing ot interest 

 to be got, but on moorland and in forest 

 quite informing incidents are possible. With 

 nothing in sight, your horse walking along may 

 suddenly stop dead, make a big inhalation 

 or two, put his head down and move about 

 sniffing at the ground. Leave him alone and 

 see what he does. He does not attempt to 

 touch the herbage, but moves about with his 

 head on the ground, sniffing. He paws a 

 little with a foreleg. If he gets a good and 

 recent whiff, he will turn it over in his mind, 

 shaking his head up and down a little. If he 

 decides that it is a mare, up will go his head, 

 and that lip will curl over his nose, the head 

 stretched out sideways, first on one side, and 

 then on the other. 



Then he will try to continue the track by 

 scent, and, if on soft ground or dust he sees 

 the footprints, he will institute a close inspec- 

 tion. If he gets another stimulating whiff, 

 there is more inhalation and nose curUng. 

 Let him go along, and on a strong scent he 

 will move fairly quickly, every nov^ and then 

 putting his nose to the ground to keep check. 

 He's looking out for droppings and as Hkely 

 as not he will come across them. As soon 

 as he sees them, he will hasten to them and 

 conduct a complete inquest, with much nose- 



I 117 



