Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-02-21
BURDETTE ON HORSES.
He Tells Some Wonderful Stories of tn
Superior Intelligence of the Noble ami

He Tells Some Wonderful Stories of tn
Superior Intelligence of the Noble AMI
NAL.
A writer in Harper's Magazine says that
horse when tied in the stable should
always be kept with his head so that he
may see the passers by and the other
horses, and thus amuse and occupy him
self. :" This is good plan, but | think
mine is still better. own one of these in
telligent horses myself | have never
noticed him politely passing hay to the
other horses in the stable, but possibly
that is because there are no other horses
| have frequently observed him dividing his
oats with the hens, which is much the
same thing. And he has the hay fever.
just like folks" Yes, indeed. But
was going to speak about making provision
for his hours in the stable. WheE he is
to be left alone any length of time, we
always place the morning paper, copy of
the Nation and late magazine or two in
his feed box, and he looks over them with
great interest. On one occasion he so
plainly resented my taking away a late
magazine, a number containing some won
derful stories about real dogs which |
wished to show to the terra Gotta pug, that
| looked to see what article so deeply in
terested the noble animal. found he was
in the midst of bright sketch of travel in
the "Feed-ye islands. Don't tell me a
horse hasn't got human intelligence. The
fact is. the people who sheer at these
stories of the remarkable intelligence of
animals are coarse and unintelligent peo-
pie who know nothing about animals. The
more people study their brute companions,
the more clearly and correctly do they I'M
derStand, neigh comprehend them. Look
at the wild Indian, what he doesn't know
about horses isn't worth knowing. And
he believes his horse will go to heaven
with him. Whether the horse believes that
the Indian will go to heaven or not we
have no means, as yet, of ascertalnlng.
This horse of mine, | am confident, has
opinions on the subject, because one of his
favorite books is Barns n Oats on Tim
othy.'. He is, however, grieve to say,
heartIess sort of brute; the sound of whoa
never moves him. Like all well-bred
horses, he has certain sense of humor,
and one day when my little boy quoted,
In his presence, the line, How tall was
Alexander, PAP" the intelligent animal
Immediately replied, BOX stall, and
burst into horse laugh. Upon one occa-
sion, when everything on the road had
passed US, I overheard him saying to him
self, softly, 1T pace to go slow. He is a
horse of contented disposition, although
sorrow has left her traces along his ribs.
| had to get the rest of the harness myself.
Like all intelligent horses, he likes to be
amused and played with. | used to play
with my horses great deal, to keep
them from beco ming low-spirited and
homesick But | haven't for long
while, now. Last time | had any fun
with a horse he was new one. ! noticed
that he seemed out of tune with his en-
vironment. He wore his ears fat back
on his neck and had his eyes rolled back
and held in place with white folds of the
same He looked about as companionable
and pleasant as a Umatilla cayuse. So
thought | would go in and brisk him up
with little game. He didn't seem to
understand Halma or Parchesi, nor Fox
and Geese as the story-book horses do, so |
proposed game of romps as something
more suited to his uncultured mind.
smote him resounding thwack under the
bosom, after the manner of horsemen, and
cried gayly, Come up and come Overt!
He did both at once. got down and went
over Ny man. who was bedding straw
berries on the sunny side of the barn. said
if had told him | was going to come out
of that window he would have left it open.
Still it made no great difference. ltwas a
cheap window anyhow, | don't suppose
the whole thing cost more than 81 cents,
glass and all.
Eth? You say "some of these wonder
full stories about horses are hard to be-
lieve?" Nonsense; you get a horse or a
dog of your own. In six weeks you II be-
Iieve anything you tell about either of
them. But will other people? Well,
yes; that is, they will believe as much of
your story as you believe of theirs; what
more do you want?