Edited by JOHN GILMER SPEED 
Horses and 
T HE purpose of this department is to take coun¬ 
sel with those who have country or suburban 
places as to the purchase, keep and treatment 
of such animals as horses, cows, dogs and poultry 
that are appropriate adjuncts to the home. The Edi¬ 
tor disclaims at the outset any pretense to the last 
knowledge on any subject, and, while he is willing 
to give advice in regard to the things that come 
within the range of his experience, he is also confident 
in the expectation that he will learn much from those 
he is fortunate enough to interest. Therefore at the 
beginning he says to the readers of House and Gar¬ 
den: come let us take 
counsel together. 
The most impor¬ 
tant animal adjunct 
of a country home 
is the horse, just as 
the dog is the most 
interesting. Keep¬ 
ing a horse is not a 
thing to be entered 
on lightly. It there¬ 
fore behooves each 
person who thinks 
of such a venture to 
ponder the matter 
soberly. A good 
horse may not be 
bought for a mere 
song, nor can he, 
like the wild ass, be 
fed on the East 
wind. No, a good 
horse must be paid 
for with a good price 
and fed on good oats % 
Othersuch 
and hay, both of which cost money. He must also be 
properly housed and carefully groomed. So 1 insist 
that the ownership of a horse is a serious matter 
and worthy of sober consideration. But if we will 
have a horse, and I know of nothing that adds more 
to the felicity of a well-constituted person, we should 
determine why we want a horse and what we wish 
to do with him after the acquisition. 
There are kinds and kinds of horses, the types 
being very various and the characteristics as numer¬ 
ous as the individuals. To get a horse not suitable 
for the purpose to which the animal is to be put 
is sure to lead to 
a quick disappoint¬ 
ment. An unsuit¬ 
able horse is no 
better than a bad 
horse for the busi¬ 
ness in hand. A 
pony is excellent for 
some kinds of work, 
a draft horse for 
other kinds of work. 
And in the range be¬ 
tween one extreme 
and the other there 
are horses that fit 
into each particular 
place. But perfect 
horses are few and 
far between. The 
first Tattersall said 
that a man who in 
a lifetime had one 
perfect horse should 
count himself very 
lucky. It is not well 
FRENCH COACH HORSE, CHANDERNAGOR 
Imported and owned by McLoughlin Bros., Columbus, Ohio 
