Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-12-21
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
How % CRooae a Horse.


A writer in the London Spectator
gives some advice about, the selection
Of family horse. which we copy be
low
set need scarcely be said that car
riage-horse is not often pleasant for
riding, though conversely 1t may be
improved By il. Practically. therefore,
q horse Is not likely. to do more than
one thing well. This extends even to
It's paces. The high action Of a good
ris often accompanied By slow.
mincine walk but q horse that
ga lOps we'll is pretty certain to cover
ground rapidly in walking We agree
with a knowing hand that a man who
is a tolsrable horseman had better
choose a high -couraged horse. A
badly. bred horse may often be a strong
hardy animal, but it viii knock up If
it is p1shed, while the thorough bred
will 20 on fiIl it drops. A thorough
bred ought not to be chosen tor pound
ing along turnpike roads, az its legs
will not stand constant hammering.
A cob had better be avoided. unless its
history is known, as no horse Is more
likely 60 be tricky For several rea-
sons it is better to buy a horse under
seven years old. With such a one a
reliable guaranty of age can be prOcu-
red, whereas the horses that are just
aged, that is TO say, just eight when
they come into the market, occur in
numbers that might battle a Quetelet
Again horses are so badly used and so
overworked in England, that it is quite
uncertain how much strength an eight
or nine-year horse may retain. As a
rule no animal that has been hacked at
such places as Brighton or Oxford
ought to be bought. After a year or
two Of such work the mouth is gener-
ally spoiled and the sinews of the leg
20. Some persons consider color an
indication of temper, and distrust o
bright chestnut. We believe the rule
is sound, but the exceptions are nU-
merOus. The ears and eyes of a horse
when it is first led out, when Its mouth
IS handled, when a whip is shaken near
it, and when it Is backed are much
better citeria, Of anger 30 less than OF
fear aud are easily recognized Irish
horses, excellent as feneers, are
apt to be a of difficult temper. A
horse sometimes Overhangs It's fore
legs, so to speak. This is a dangerous
fault, as the centre Of gravity being
300 laE IuIWaE0f EuE ltdSl iN AAtAg 10
stumble. A horse with ITS belly tuck
ed In, as it is called that Is to say, GO
ing up backwards as in a griffin
fault more common in carriage horses
than in hacks--fecds and fattens badly
and will wear out rather sooner than
another. Ladies and coekneys are a
little apt to admire thin-chested, spin
dle-shanked horses. OF course this
Is a mistake. A deep, broad chest Is
indispensable for wind and a thin
boned leg viii be easily knocked tc
pieces. We have mentioned only the
points that an inexperienced purchas.
er can remark for himself and that do
not enter into warranty. As to pos
tive wees on diseases, be can only
guard against them By buying through
respectable veterinary or from al
honest householder. We believe th,
common opinion about the espeoia
rascality of the trade to be a nlista keT
one, and We would sooner buy our
selves from dealer than from pri
vate owner who is apt to form a fancy
estimate of his property, and is offer
ignorant of UnsoUndness or tricks"