Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-01-15
Explanation of the Points Of a Real
Good Horse.
Scribner for January.

4" 1 can't explain what real gooc
horse is" said one of the best
natured dealers in the street
They are as different as men. II
buying horse, you must look frs
to his head and eyes for signs Of
intelligence, temper, courage and
honesty. Unless horse has brains
you can't teach him anything, any
more than you can a half-witted
child. See that tall bay, there, a
fne-looking animal, fifteen hands
high. You can't teach that horse
anything. Why? Well, I'll show
you a difference in heads; but have
care of his heels. Look at the
brute's head-that rounding nose,
that tapering forehead, that broad,
full place below the eyes. You
can't trust him. Kick? Well, I
guess so Put him in a ten>acre
lot, where he's got plenty Of swing,
and he'll kick the horn of the
moon.
The worlds treatment of man
and beast has the tendency to en-
large and intensity bad qualities, if
they predominant. This good-na-
tured phrenologist could not refrain
from slapping in the face the horse
whose character had been so cruelty
delineated, while he had nothing
but the gentlest caresses for tall,
docile, sleek-limbed sorrel, that
pricked her ears forward and looked
intelligent enough to understand all
that was being said.
That's an awful good mare, he
added. " She's as true as the sun.
You can see breadth and fullness
between the ears and eyes. You
couldn' t hire that mare to act mean
or hurt anybody. The eyes should
be full, and hazel is a good color.
L like small, thin ear, and want
horse to throw his ears we'll forward.
Look out for the brute that wants
to listen to all the conversation GO
ing on behind him. The horse that
turns back his ears till they almost
meet at the points, take my word |
for it, is sure to do something
wrong. See that straight elegant
face. A horse with a dish face is
and a cowardly brute is
vicious. Then / like a
square muzzle with large nostrils,
to let in plenty of air to the lungs.
For the under side of the head, a
good horse should be well cut under
the jowl, with jaw-bones broad, and
wide apart under the throttle.
" So much for the head" he con
tinued.
1.-The next thing to consider is
the build of the animal. Never buy
a long-legged stilty horse. Let him
have a short, straight back and a
straight rump, and you've got u
yentleman's horse. The withers
should be high and the shoulders
we'll set back and broad but don't
get them too deep in the chest.
The fore leg should be short. Give
ne a pretty straight hind leg,
With the hook low down, short pas
,ern joints, and a round, mulish
loot. There are all kinds of horses,
put the animal that has these points
s almost sure to be slightly, grace
ul, good natured and serViceable.
As to color, taste differs. Bays,
crowns and chestnuts are the best.
2oans are very fashionable st
A great many grays and
orrels are brought here for ship
nent to Mexico and Cuba. They
10 we'll in a hot climate, under
ropical sun, for the same reason
hat you find light-colored clothing
most serviceable in summer. That
circus horse behind you is what
many people call calico horse
low, 1 Gall him a genuine piebald.
It's freak of nature, AMI may
Happen anywhere.
Hoo Raising