2 



HOESEMANSHIP FOE WOMEN. 



horse. Why, he is the awkwardest brute I ever saw. 

 Just look at him now !" 



In fact, his appearance was anything but beautiful 

 at that moment. His Eoman nose, carried a long way 

 forward and a little on one side, gave him somewhat 

 the air of a camel ; his coat showed no recent acquaint- 

 ance with the brush ; and as he stood there sleepily in 

 the sun, with one hind-leg hitched up, he did not pre- 

 sent at all a picture to charm' a lady's eye. !N"everthe- 

 less, he was, in fact, a reasonably well-made horse, a full 

 black, fifteen and three-quarter hands high, sound, kind, 

 and seven years old. 



" He's just horrid," said ray wife. 



" Oh, that's nothing," said I ; " that's only a bad habit 

 he has. We will -soon cure him of such slovenly tricks. 

 Just see what good points he has. His legs are a little 

 long, to be sure, but they are broad, and have excellent 

 hoofs ; his breast is narrow, but then it is deep ; and 

 that large nostril was not given him for nothing. You 

 will see he will run like a race-horse." 



"K you once get him started you can never stop 

 him," said my wife. "You know how he pulls, and 

 how nervous he is. He will go till he drops. You 

 are not strong enough to ride such a horse." 



" Oh, nonsense," said I ; " you can see that there is 

 ■no mischief in him. Look what a kind eye he has! 

 The fact is, horses are often very sensitive; and while 

 this one may never have been cruelly treated, yet he 



