HOW TO BUY A HOESE 211 



for nearly three months. This conceit that we 

 have in our knowledge of horses whets our appe- 

 tite for gambling on horse-races, and makes the 

 opportunity of the bookmakers to undo us much 

 greater and surer. It also induces us to make un- 

 wise purchases and then conclude that horses are 

 delusions and snares while dealers are rogues of 

 deepest dye. Only a few days before this page was 

 written, I heard of a college professor who 

 bought a pair of horses at a fancy price and with- 

 out an examination from a veterinary, only to 

 find after reaching his country place that one of 

 the horses was blind. So, while I am sure that ad- 

 vice is needed, I am not at all certain that it is in 

 demand. 



We all recall the doggerel rule : 



" One white leg, inspect him; 

 Two white legs, reject him; 

 Three white legs, sell him to your foes; 

 Four white legs, feed him to the crows ! " 



That is advice to which no attention should be 

 paid at all, unless the markings be such that a 

 person looking for a horse positively dislikes. 

 And that is about the only rule I advise a .person 



