The Delaware ledger., 1883-09-22
Chats about Horses.

lew years ago, MS | was gong my
rounds among my patients "a new
one, Joe what do you think of her
this Joe was, what's called in England,
rough rider, one who broke colts to
saddle, and one of the best men in that
line of business in Lancashire.
''She's beauty, where did she come
from ?'' 1.-THE Eccleshill stables she is
only blood weed" 'My, she's a pic !
ture call her weed, eh Why if she
amt fast enough for a galloping race
she has style enough about her for
lady's pad better let me break her to
saddle, there's good money in that
mare, tell you.n "No, no; | have
taken fancy to keep her, she is like a
child, and knows as much as man,
III keep her as she is, Joe, she just
suits me as she is.
This mare was perfect beauty, she
had the beautiful well poised head usual
among thoroughbreds, the. springy
elastic gait and free motion so alluring
to the lover Of good horse color, a
bright bay with black points, square
muzzle, but so fine ''it would have gone
into pint pct" as we say in England,
she was as 'pretty as paint" and as
knowing as man. bought her to fill
the place of one Of my horses that had
fallen lame, intending TO sell her when
the other one had recovered; she was
what is called a ''blood weed" that is,
lne bred for racing but on trial not
found speedy enough for the turf a
class that make the best of light driving
horses for Vets work as you can't kill
them by any amount of fair work.
On breaking her to harness she proved
50 tractabe and knowing that l made
up my mind to keep her and can tell
you she grew into nay affections in
way that none but horsemen can
understand. However, 1 want to tell
you about her tricks and cunning ways.
One morning while hay ing breakfast,
Jack, my stable lad, came in and said,
''Master, do you know what Pet has
been doing ?' ''No has she hurt her.
self p'' ''No, she was put in No. box
last night as she had had hard day
and bolted tie doors as usual and this
morning after feeding her she started
TO play with the bolt of the bottom door,
pulled it back and walked into the
shoeing forge (almost every Vet in En-
gland keeps a shoeing forge for the
benefit of his customers), and one Of
the men asked me what l wanted done
at her when l told him she came Of
her own accord, he said, she knows
better than you what is amiss look al
that foot, the shoe is broken and ont
half is off > well, the men shod her ant
then she walked back into her box
quite comfortable, as if she knew al
about it.''
Another time as l was driving hel
through a small country town afte
dark, some children ran across the rOaC
right in front Of her ; one fell and
was badly scared, as could not pull VI
in time to save the child form beinl
hurt, however, Pet broke her bearing
rein, ana absolutely picked the child VI
from under her feet, carried it like
dog would for few yards, stopped
and set the child down as carefully as
she was nurse. You should hav
heard the crowd cheer her, and seen tn
way she arched her neck and walke
as proud as if she had known all abou
it. A few days afterwards l had t
drive to part of the country where
had never been before, and in comm
back got lost in the dark, as l cOul
not see the sides of the road. Wei
after while l noticed the mare wa
uneasy and feeling that she had foun
out did not know the road, slacl
ened the ieins and said 'now Pet, 9
home - well, sirs, that mare turne
right round and went back nearly tW
miles, then turned into narrow Ian,
/ made sure she was wrong but let he
go on, but she was right after all, a
she brought me home as straight as
it had been broad daylight. A fe
weeks after this, had occasion to ca
at farm to see some horses sufferin
from influenza, Of very cOntagiol
form; unluckily 1 drove Pet, and
usual did not tie her but left her fir,
as she was in the habit of standiI
still without hitching this time 81
followed me to the box door where Il
worst case was, and being busy, toe
no heed of her until | had examine
the case, when I moved her and ii,
her up while | saw the other patient
A few days after this, Jack, the stabl
lad, came to Inc and said Pet was II
eating; had left her breakfast al
seemed very thirsty on looking at h
l found her sick from the same kind
disease as the patients | had seen fe
days before when she followed me
the box. Although treated her, al
gave her every attention she gradual
got worse, and one afternoon l foul
she was dying; as l petted her, s
turned her eyes on me with IA half
man expression of affection in the
put her nose on my shoulder, rubb
the side of her head against mine a
seemed as if she wanted to speak /;
made me feel bad, for she had been
companion to me when on the lOnr
country roads seeming to know all Il
| said to her, nickering when | spC
to her and returning in her petted "
all the caresses l gave her. As she 5