38(5 H O R 
catch with a kind of rope; for, though thefe horfes are fit 
to be mounted, and faid to be docile, they will not fuffer 
themfelves to he touched with the hand. 
From what has been faid, it may be readily feen, that 
there is really very little difference between the habits of 
thefe wild horfes and of thofe which live in a ftate of 
domefticity. It needs excite no wonder, therefore, that 
there ihould be very little in regard to their form, fize, 
and qualities. 
When the inhabitants wifli to convert fome of thefe 
wild horfes into domeftic ones, people mounted on horfe - 
back proceed towards a troop of the former; and when 
they approach them, they throw fome of the ropes already 
mentioned around their legs, fo that, being prevented 
from running, they have time to fecure them. They are 
then tied to a flake, or a tree, not by the four legs, as 
fome have faid, but with a Ample halter made of leather. 
They are left two or three days without food or drink, 
are afterwards cut, and are then broke in the fame man¬ 
ner as the domeftic horfes. The horfe behaves then as if 
he had never been wild ; but it is not true that they lofte 
all defire of recovering their liberty. They readily unite 
with a troop of wild horfes ; and how can it be otlierwife, 
fince thofe even which have been reared in a ftate of do- 
meflicity have no repugnance to join them? 
The proprietors of the paftures deftined for thofe horfes 
which have been tamed, endeavour not only to frighten 
away the wild horfes, but even to exterminate them. With 
that view they beat the woods in queft of them, drive 
them, if poflible, into ravines, and kill them by means of 
lances. The Pampas eat their flelli, and particularly that 
of the fillies, colts, and mares; but they fometimes kill a 
very fat ftallion to make a fire with his greafe and bones, 
as in the country of Fampa wood is extremely lcarce. 
The Spanilh author often contradifils Buffon, not only 
in regard to local obfervations, which is not altonifhing, 
but alfo in regard to general ideas, l'uch as the influence 
of climate, See. D. Felix Azara refutes the affertion of 
the French naturaliff, who afevibes more ftrength and 
fieetnefs to the wild than to the domeftic horfes of thefe 
countries. Pie even aflerts, that he has not been correct 
in faying that each wandering troop fubmit, by common 
confent, to a chief, which l’erves as a guide; which regu¬ 
lates and direfits their movements; forms them in the or¬ 
der of battle, by files, companies, fquadrons, Sec. The 
truth, according to the author, is, that each ftallion ap¬ 
propriates to himfelf as many mares as he can, which he 
takes care of, and keeps collected; that he combats any 
other ftallion which attempts to deprive him of them ; 
and that each wandering troop confifts, therefore, of a 
number of ftnall diltinct bodies, which fometimes unite 
into one. 
In the great number of wild troops which the author 
law, he never obferved any other prevailing colours than 
bay, dark brown, and jet black. If it fometimes happens 
that a pied or dirty grey-coloured individual is feen, or 
one of any other colour, it may with certainty be con¬ 
cluded that it is a domeftic horfe which has defected. 
According to the author, there are ninety bay for one 
dark brown horfe; and black horfes are fa uncommon, 
that one of them is fcarcely feen in two thoufand. He 
thence infers, that thefe three colours, bay, dark brown, 
and jet black, are a primitive mark, which diftinguilhes, 
at leaf! in part, the horfes which recover their liberty; 
that the firft horfe and mare which exifted had one of 
thefe three colours, and moll probably the bay, fince it 
appears that, among the wild horfes, the black is becom¬ 
ing extinfil, and that this will be the cafe alfo with the 
brown; that, taking the colour as an index, we might 
lay, that the bell breed of horfes is the bay, then the 
brown, and next the black ; all the other colours being 
inferior, as they are the refult of more diftant degrada¬ 
tions from tlie primitive horfe, which mull have been the 
molt perfect. Experience feems, in fome meafure, to con¬ 
firm thefe conjectures; for, except in a few cafes, which 
are of little confequence, the bays are the molt elteemed, 
and the browns hold the next rank. Pie obferves, that in 
France a prejudice is entertained againft the laft-mentioned 
colour, which he thinks unreafonable, and which in his 
opinion feems to Ihow that the French, in this refpefit, 
have not fo much difeermnent as the Spaniards. Thefe 
obfervations, and the inferences which the author draws 
from them, l'eem to weaken the confidence which might 
be placed in what has been faid by Buft'on, on the autho¬ 
rity of Herodotus, Leo Africanus, and Marco Polo, of 
wild white horfes faid to have exifted in Arabia and Nu- 
midia. We know how fufpicious the teftimony of the 
ancients is in regard to natural hiftory, and that the au¬ 
thority of Buffon himfelf has little weight when he gives 
teftimonies inftead of obferved fads. 
With refpefit to the Longevity of horfes, it is a fub- 
jeft that has never yet been fatisfafilorily afeertained, and 
on which naturalifts are rnoftly filent or doubtful. It has 
been generally laid, that horfes will live to twenty-five or 
thirty years ; but it is well known, that, with moderate 
work and mild treatment, they will live many years longer. 
Francis Marlli, efq. of Droxford in Hampfhire, had a horfe 
of the faddle kind which lived to the great age of fifty 
years, and died in February 1807, in confequence, as was 
luppofed, of the very levere fro ft: of that winter. The fame 
gentleman had a mare, which lived to complete the fortieth 
year of her age, and died in 179a. Thefe events were 
within the cognizance of the writer of the prelent article; 
and it might tend greatly to the elucidation of the fub- 
jefit, were fimilar obfervations to be made and recorded by 
thofe who have more favourable opportunities, either by 
holding veterinary occupations, or by fpending their lives 
in a regular and judicious attendance upon horfes. 
LAWS relating to HORSES. 
By flat. 11 Hen. VII. c. 13, horfes were not to be con¬ 
veyed out of the realm, without the king’s licence, on 
pain of forfeiture of the value. Perfons having lands of 
inheritance in parks, &c. were ordered to keep two mares 
apt to bear foals thirteen hands high, for the increafe of 
the breed of horfes, on pain of 40s. for every month they 
are wanting; and not fuffer them to be leaped by ftone- 
horfes under fourteen hands, on a penalty, by flat. 27 
Hen. VIII. c. 6. And for the prefervation of a ftrong 
breed of horfes, ftone-horfes above two years old are di • 
refiled to be fifteen hands high, or they ftiall not be al¬ 
lowed to run in forelts or commons, where mares are 
kept, upon pain of forfeiture; and fcabbed or infefiled 
horfes fhall not be put into common fields, under the pe¬ 
nalty of 1 os. by flat. 32 Hen. VIII. c. 13 ; ftill in force. 
Stealing of any horfe, gelding, or mare, is felony with¬ 
out benefit of clergy; but accelfaries to this offence are 
not excluded clergy. If any horfe that is llolen be not 
fold according to the direfilions of the flat. 2 and 3 Phil 
and Mary, c. 7, the owner may take and feize the horfe 
wherever he finds him; or have afilion of detinue, &c. 
To prevent horfes from being llolen and fold in private 
places, this flat. 2 and 3 Phil, and Mary, c. 7, provides, 
that all owners of fairs and markets fhall appoint toll- 
takers or book-keepers, who are to enter the names of 
buyers and fellers of horfes. And to alter or change the 
property, the horfes mull be rid or Hand in the open fair 
one hour; and all the parties to the contrafil mnjl be prefent 
with the horfe. And by flat- 31 Eliz. c. 12, fellers of horfes 
are to procure vouchers of the fale to them; and the 
names of the buyer, feller, and voucher, and price of the 
horfe, are to be entered in the toll-taker’s book, and a 
note thereof delivered to the buyer; and if any perfon 
fhall fell a horfe without being known to the book-keeper, 
or bringing a voucher; or if any one fhall vouch without 
knowing the feller; or the book-keeper fhall make an 
entry without knowing either; in thefe cafes the fale is 
void, and a forfeiture is incurred of 5I. And the faid 
llatute 
