THE HORSE. 87 



those who have watched the wild "brumbies" in 

 the mountains of Australia. The reason is not 

 difficult to see. A horse when he walks or trots 

 puts down one front foot at a time ; and when 

 the rouo-h and treacherous nature of the g-round 

 renders great care necessary (for a false step 

 might mean instant death from foes or precipices), 

 this is by far the safest method of going for an 

 animal of his weight and bulk. He can choose 

 his foothold better when walking or trotting than 

 if, as when he canters or gallops, he has to find 

 resting-places for both his front hoofs together 

 instead of for one at a time. We find practically 

 nowadays that for road-work trotting is the safest 

 pace, and takes far less out of a horse than 

 cantering. Here again we see that a provision 

 of nature for certain special emergencies of free 

 equine life has been taken hold of by civilised 

 man and developed for his own ends. 



When we come to discuss the useful attri- 

 butes of the ox it will be shown that his value 

 as a draught animal is directly dependent on 

 certain peculiar habits of his wild life. This can 

 hardly be said of the cart-horse. It is merely 

 through a happy coincidence that we are able, 

 without much difficulty, so to harness him as to 



