The Portland daily press., 1881-03-04
Horse Dealers and Horse Dealing.

Few horse dealers are really good judges of
horSes. 1t is true that many of them pos
sess peculiar rapidity of vision, the effect
OF quickened intellect; and that, in the
inspection OF horse, one of their eagle
glances will com0rehend mo re than half an
hours scrutiny from other eyes; yet this
chiefly has reference to what may be termed
his selling points; they too often buy horses
as butchers do bullocks, by their size and
weight; and as fat conceals many faults,
their highest notion of condition is being
fat Of actiou-that is, proper lasting ac-
tion-they are for the most part ignorant.
The vocabulary of the horse dealing frater-
nifty is not less amusing than pithy, having
what is called a clash term for almost ev-
cry description of horse. Amongst these
is the fool atcher'-namely, horse with
good head and tail, possessing snowy ac-
ton, but not intrinsically worth twelve
months keep. This sort of animal from
his worthlessness, is commonly purchased at
small price; but when made fat, is sure to
answer to his name, especially in the larger
cities. But all this is classical: The horse
dealers heaven on earth is located in places
where there is much money and abundance
of fools.
A great portion of horse buyers, however,
have to thank themselves for being cheated
In their purchases, because they will rely on
their own Judgment without it's having had
the benefit of experience. Almost every
man, in fact, wishes to be thought a good
judge OF horse, which, from the various
points to be taken into consideration, not
only OF form, but as relating to action, for
several purposes, is of all others the animal
most difficult 10 judge of correctly. But
such is the case in other matters than horse
dealing. and the experience which often
comes too late for SC
cepted for that OF others. When a horse
case is brought into court, the witnesses on
ooth sides usually seem to consider that
they have prescriptive right to indulge in
an unlimited amount of what is technically
termed hard swearing" We should say
there is no branch of dealings in which ey-
cry class of society is so freely taken in, as
Ill the purchase of horses. In the dailv.
AID especially in the Sunday papers of our
large cities, may frequently be noticed ad-
vertisements of horses for sale, said to be-
long to an invalid lady, or agentleman sud
denly obliged to travel in foreign countries
for his health, and who must forthwith part
with his or her exquisite trotters, or team of
trotters, bought only recently at high
price i'll Kentucky. Besides spurious ped
1Sree, and statement of their capacity for
trotting, which is always placed considera-
bly, below three minutes, the fiery steeds are
said to be SO gentle that child might drive
them. There are no specific rules by which
persons can avoid these impositions, but
they may, at any rate, decline placing conf
dence In those with whom they have no
previous acquaintance. In transactions
which are fair, the negotiating party is anx-
lous that every facility be given to a pur-
chaser to see that he is being dealt with in
good faith; and we should pause the mo-
ment we detect undue haste or reservation,