The Monitor-register., 1896-12-18
SOME CLEVER HORSES.

road.
1t is not strange, therefore, that an
attachment of more than ordinary
Intensity often springs up between them,
during which the man many times notes
the almost human qualities of the horse.
While quite boy knew horse of
such humor and intelligence that he gave
me high opinion of horses in general.
Somehow the tricks of old Ball led me to
consider horses as almost of kin to human
beings, and have always talked to them
and treated them accordingly.
Ball, fiue animal belonging to nv
uncle, who lived on a farm adjoining
ours, was a sorrel horse of good size and
especially fiue head, with heavy neck and
shoulders. He had done a great deal of
farm work in his time, but was now too
Old for any thing but occasional light ser
vice; 80 he usually had the range of a
pasture 10 front of the house that reached
up to the yard fence. There were cattle
aud sheep in the same pasture.
Ball was noted for his cunning and
clever tricks, such as opening gaten and
doors, pulling down bars and the like:
out no one suspected him of playing
practical. Jokes on sheep when one after
another was found on the wrong side of
the fence. 1t was by his antics and evj.
dent delight whenever sheep was SO
found that he attracted attention.
A watch was instituted and soon, when
Ball thought no one saw him, he slyly
picked up sheep by the wool with his
teeth, and dropped it over the fence!
Then, going away some distance, he
anxiously waited, evidently watching for
some one to come out of the house. As
soon as he saw that the sheep were dis
covered, he gave snort and began to
run and kick mp his heels with delight.
Sometimes be would steal articles and
hide them, evidently just for the fun of
of the thing. One day heavy maui
such as is used for splitting rails and
wood, was left so near the fence that he
could reach it. Wien he supposed that
no one saw him he took the maui I'D with
bis teeth, carried it to the farther side of
the field, carefully hid it behind the
stump Of trseSsnd theasxw atohed the
result.
This time he ha6 been seen carrying
the maui away, so the men made great
ado pretending to be bunting for it. look.
ing in the fence corners and behind
stumps, while Bal was ranqiaa, sLorting
and kickingVp his heels wishunbounded
delight. Whenever they approached the
maui, heeyidsntly tried to attract their
attention to some other point.
While I have been engaged in the
practice of medicine my horses have had
no opportunity to perform tricks like
these, but many timssI have seen exhi-
billions of intelligence aud 6amor no less
maiksd
one cold, boistefous day my horse,
John, vas driven mp to post in front of
desolate looking farmhouse, about
fourteen miles from home. There was
not tree or object of any kind to break
the cold, raw wind, SO l covered John
with his blanket, and on top of this threw
= ,hnfsgla rebas tncking it we'll under the
bar ness lest tie wind should blow it off.
But, in my care with the blanket and
the robe, | forgot to fasten John to
he post.
After had been inside f ew minutes,
the lady of the house, looking through
the window, cried out: doctor there
goes your horse!"
l hastened to the door only to see John
and the buggy making good time home
ward, already beyond reach of my voice.
Pretty soon, however, John turned from
the road. made large circnit- something
more than hundred yards in diameter
over the smooth prairie, and came back
to the post again, where be shook his
head often and pranced about to show
how intensely he enjoyed the joke. To
me he said, as plainly as horse could
say it:
Now, didn't fool you nicely You
thought | was going back without you.
Why, | was only play ing practical joke
to show how careless you were not to tie
my halter. OF course would not nave
left you out here alone for the world"
have known many horses that showed
a good degree of humor as well as TELL
gence, but for good sense think Frank
was little superior to any other. He
was seven years old when l traded for
him, and he had bad reputation for
running away; but he was proud horse,
held his bead we'll up, and was high
stopper. Moreover, he had an intelligent
look, and liked him.
Inon Inquiry found that his fl rst run
away was not much to his discredit A
drunken driver had forced him to-oross a
rickety cnlvert, and allowedshim to run
!: Z: =: =: :: !:
noise d;co6l lhim.
l at once began aiming of my new
ss,ss. SDass = ri,s. sts.'s was his friend and
VpuId !. forsake Vim on any account;
second. that I was fully competent to
care farand protect him. How we'll
succeeded may be guessed " hen tell you
that drove him almost every day for
seven years and never had runaway.
Sometimes be would be startled, but a
gentle word and firm, steady rein would
always reassure him SO that no trouble
occurred.
His experience had taught him to be
very cautious about culveIts. If one of
these seemed to be IL e least out of repair
he would stop, and no amount Of coaxing
or pushing could induce him to pass
over until had first got out and care
fully examined it. Then, after had told
him that all was right, no matter how
rickety the culvert was, he would quietly
pass over.
When he first came into my possession
be had the habit of frequently throwing
his head up, and as bis bride was some.
what loose, the brow band would some
times lodge upon his ear. Whenever this
happened | would stop him, get out of