The times., 1899-10-02
Horse Sense.

There is a new monthly in town, and it
bears the very much up-to-date name Of
the Automobile Magazine II is. Of
course. devoted to the interests OF the auto
mobile as against those of the old and faith
full friend OF mankind, the horse
One of the articles in this magazine de-
plores the mistake made by those who talk
OF -'hprse sense" The writer says:
X is peculiarly appropriate that some cold facts
about the horse be laid before the public at the
present tiu1e. Tiese Will substsntiate the asser-
ton that the horse is an animal Of extraordinary
little sense-lsing the word as synonymous with
judgment lie has remarkably delicate per
ceiilion coupled with a very slight power Of
correlation lie il therefore subject to seizure
at ans moment viii fits of the most violent in-
sanity. induced 1T the slightest Proyocaion. Tins,
together with tie enormous reserve strength Of
1he animal. makes him exceedingly dangerous
engine TO be practically given the freedom Of
The read in oar populons communities. Only
!. familiarity makes The peril seem endurable.
1t is quite natural that the horse should have
a nature 80 unbalanced mentally; evolved As he
il. from an ancestor who of the most
tiTnid Of wild aniInais. possessing weapons CT
offence OF defence and therefore finding his only
safety in fight. lie had to be on the alert
with his keen senses of perception ever tense
ready urge him into q mad gallop at the slight
/ est movement. T1stlsHg OF leaf, which, per
hzFs might berray the neighborhood OF some
lurking and terrible beast Cf prey about to
spring upon him and tear his life out with lac-er-
atlng claws or teptii. II is wonder therefore
that az any unaccustomed sight, noise. touch or
motion the horse Of today, IN spite OF countless
centuries Of training in the service Of man
unoer the ancestral impulse that dominates his
most intensely nervous organization, should still
be ssized with an Hns0vernabie terrier that ex
presses itself ia mad onward rush whose fright
ful power is fraugkt with Destruction for every
| thing about him.
Now, as matter of fact, and with all
due regard 10 the progress OF modern in
yention- the correctness OF this point of
/ view may be questioned If the horse
could talk. he might be able TO prove that
his kind OF Intelligence is. ii rot superio
20 that Of man, at least equal TO il. as far
as il goes. We all know that one of the
nns1 uncommon things in the world is
what is popularity called common sense
Suppose the horse does shy at things
which man knows are harmless. There are
numerous people in this world who would
have serious fits al the idea OF going on the
street in clothing of last years fashion. or
Of cheap material For the sake of obtain
ing sgch garb as they think proper they
! sIIl sometimes do unjust, dlskonorable.
and shocking things. when they know, and
everybody around them knows. that such
4 course is not only wrong, but silly. Is t.
any worse 10 be horse and shy al a piece :
Of brown psper2 There is almost a GER
| taipty that the least little Whit OF smoke
IN theatre. with the sudden information
that the place is on fire. viii precipitats a
panic in which scores Of people VIII be
killed, when sii might easily have got
out n safety. What about mans superior
wisdom in a case like that? The horse
Gees not know. when he sees locomotive.
| that Il cannot gel of the track and eoms
a; him; the audience does know. and woIl