The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1880-12-02
A Good Horse.

81 can't explain what real good horse
is" said one of the best natured dealers
in the street. "They are as different as
men; in buying horse you must look
first to his head and eyes for signs of
intelligence, temper, courage, and hon
esty. Unless q horse has brains you
can't teach him anything any moro than
you can teach half-witted child. See
that tall bay there, q fne-looking animal
about fifteen hands high. You can't
teach that horse anything. Why? Well,
I'll show you difference ia heads; but
have q care of his heels. Look at the
beasts 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 n
ten acre lot, where he has plenty of wing,
and he'll kick the horn off the moon."
The worlds treatment of man and
beast has the tendency to enlarge and
intensity bad qualities, if they predomin-
| ate. This good-natured phrenologist
could rot refrain from slapping in the
| face the horse whose character had been
SO cruelty delineated, while he had but
the gentlest treatment for slick-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 can't hire that mare
to act mean or hurt anybody. The eye
should be full, and hazel is good color.
J like small, thin ear, and want horse
to throw his ears we'll forward. Look
out for the brute that wants to listen tc
all the conversation going on behind
him. The horse that turns back his ears
till they almost meet ut the points, take
my word for it, is sure to do something
wrong. See that straight, elegant face
| A horse with a dishing face is cowardly,
and q cowardly brute is always vicious.
Then l like square muzzle, with large
nostrils to let plenty Of air to the lungs.
For the underside of head good horse
should be well cut under the Jowl, with
jaw-bones broad and wide apart under
the throttle.
$50 much for the head" he. contin-
ued. "The next thing to consider is the
build of the animal. Never buy long
legged stilty horse. Let him have a
short, straight back and q straight rump
and you've got gentleman's horse. The
withers should be high and the shoul-
ders well set back and broad, but don t
SCO OllohA ooo oScp Ill ullc CucSU. Lilo 1Oro
legs should be short. Give me pretty,
straight hind-leg, with the hook low
down, short pastern joints, and round
mulish loot. There are all kinds of
horses, but the animal that has these
points is almost sure to be slightly grace
full, good-natured and serviceable. AS
to color, tastes differ. Bays, browns and
chesnuts are the best. Roans are very
fashionable at present. A great many
grays and sorrels are brought here for
shipment to Mexico and Cuba. They do
well in a hot climate, under O tropical
sun, for the same reason that you find
light-colored clothing most serviceable
in summer. That circus horse behind
you is what many people call calico
horse; now, call him q genuine piebald.
It's freak of nature and may happen
anywhere. ."-Scri6ner'8 MonthLy.