LANGUAGE OF THE HORSE— AUTHOR'S EXPERIENCE. 309 



tail and a gesture as if threatening to kick, are equine forms of 

 speech. The darkey was not wrong when he said of the kick- 

 ing mule : " It's- just his way of talking." 



To be a successful practitioner of veterinary science one 

 should readily understand the language of the horse, to enable 

 him at times to locate the disease. Who among us, — with the 

 heart of a Christian — understanding the language of horses 

 (both vocal and silent), can withstand the pleading look of a 

 horse in distress ? But a short time since, while walking on 

 one of the streets of our beautiful city, my attention was called 

 to a horse by his neigh of welcome, and on giving him a look of 

 attention such a pleading look as he gave me will be long re- 

 membered. I found the poor animal suffering terribly from 

 having stood nobody knows how long, checked very taut with 

 that vile implement of torture, an over-draw check-rein. It 

 was but the work of a moment for me tovrelieve him of his dis- 

 comfort, and the look of gladness and thankfulness' displayed 

 in his countenance was my reward. 



At another time my attention was similarly called to a 

 horse in distress on the street, who had been carelessly tied 

 around a post or pole, and the tie-line had slipped down so low 

 as to bring his head in a painfully low posture and held it 

 there. When relieved he also thanked me in language which 

 I understood. 



One evening upon arriving home from town I inquired if 

 all the animals had been properly cared for for the night. On 

 receiving an answer in the affirmative, I inquired especially if 

 my stallion, Stockton King (who occupied a barn separate from 

 the others), had been watered. The man who had him in 

 charge said " Yes." But hearing my voice, the poor neglected 

 animal told me as plainly as if he had used the choicest Eng- 

 lish, that he had not been watered ; and as if to prove his at- 

 tendant an unscrupulous liar he drank two full buckets of 

 water from my own hands. 



