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STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
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SH ETLAN D PON Y.
STORIES ABOUT HORSKS,
JLLUSTRATIVE OF THEIR
Sitelligente, Sagucity, andy Pocility.
By THOMAS BINGLEY,
AUTHOR OF “ STORIES ABOUT DOGS,†‘* TALES OF SHIPWRECKS,â€â€™ ETC. RTC.
EMBELLISHED WITH TWELVE ENGRAVINGS ON STEEL.
Sunrth Cdritina.
LONDON :
W. KENT & CO. (Late D. Boevr), FLEET STREET.
1858.
LONDON
cy?
Nir
THOMAS HARRILD, @f; 49 SALISBURY SQUARE,
FLEET STREET.
PREFACE.
A taste for the study of Natural History has been
said to be favourable to the exercise of benevolence.
‘‘ Tf we feel a common interest in the gratification of
inferior beings,†it has been well remarked, “ we
shall no longer be indifferent to their sufferings, or
become wantonly instrumental in producing them.
We may be truly said to become susceptible of vir-
tuous impressions from the sight and study of such
objects. ‘The patient ox is viewed with a kind of
complacency ; the guileless sheep with pity ; the play-
ful lamb raises emotions of tenderness. We rejoice
with the horse in his liberty and exemption from toil,
while he ranges at large through the enamelled pas-
vl PREFACE.
tures; and the frolics of the colt would afford un-
mixed delight, did we not recollect the bondage
which he is soon to undergo. We are charmed with
the song of birds, soothed with the buzz of insects,
and pleased with the sportive motions of the fish,
because these are expressions of enjoyment, and
we exult in the felicity of the whole animated
creation.â€
To call up and to exercise those feelings, in the
breasts of my young readers, to incite them to the
love of Nature, and to “look through Nature up to
Nature’s God,†I again present them with another
volume of Tales. With their appreciation of my
former works, evinced by the daily increasing demand
for them, I am highly gratified; and hope that the
present volume will be found equally interesting,
and deserving of the same favourable estimation.
T. B.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HORSE ;
ITS HABITS IN A WILD STATE; AND THE VARIOUS MODES OF CAPTUR-
ING IT, AND MAKING IT SERVICEABLE TO MAN . . Page 1
CHAPTER II.
UNCLE THOMAS RELATES SEVERAL INTERESTING STORIES ABOUT ARABIAN
HORSES, AND ABOUT THE AFFECTION WHICH SUBSISTS BETWEEN
THEM AND THE ARABS, THEIR MASTERS . . : . 16
CHAPTER IIT.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE ENGLISH RACE-HORSE ; THE MODE IN
WHICH IT IS TRAINED } AND ABOUT ITS EXTRAORDINARY SPEED . 32
CHAPTER IV.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE HUNTER, AND RELATES MANY INTE-
RESTING STORIES OF HIS SAGACITY AND LOVE OF SPORT . . AG
@eoe
Vill CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY FEATS OF THE
COACH-HORSE, AND ABOUT THE SPIRIT AND COURAGE OF THE
CHARGER . . . . . , . : . Page 68
CHAPTER VI.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE HACKNEY, OR ROADSTER . . 79
CHAPTER VII.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT CART-HORSES AND DESCRIBES SEVERAL OF
THE PRINCIPAL VARIETIES . . . - . . 96
CHAPTER VIII.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE PONY, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE
SHELTIE OR SHETLAND PONY; AND ABOUT THE PONIES OF THE
EXMOOR FOREST. : . : . . . : . 110
CHAPTER IX.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE NEW FOREST AND DARTMOOR PONIES,
AS WELL AS ABOUT THE CEFFAL OR WELSH PONIES . . 119
CHAPTER X,
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT BREEDS OF ASIATIC
HORSES, INCLUDING THE TARTAR, TOORKOMAN, AND CALMUCK
VARIETIES . . . . . . . . . . 188
CONTENTS. 1X
CHAPTER XT.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT BREEDS OF EUROPEAN
AND AMERICAN HORSES a . : : . Page 149
CHAPTER XII.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE ASS, THE MULE, AND THE ZEBRA, AND
CONCLUDES HIS STORIES ABOUT HORSES ° . . . 172
LIST OF PLATES.
SHETLAND Pony . . : . . Frontispiece.
ARABIAN . ; . . , . Page 17
Racer . . . . : ; , . . . - 32
HUNTER . . , : ; , . . . AF
Coacu-Horst : ; ; , . . . . . 68
Buack Cart-HORSE ; . . . : - - 96
Common Cart-HoRSE . -, ; . . : - 109
FoRESTER : . . . . . . . . - 119
WetsH Pony . ‘ . . . . ; . . 123
ASS . . . : ; . . , . . . 172
MuUIE . . . . . . . . ; . . 184
ZEBRA . . . . . . . . . . . 189
STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
CHAPTER I.
UNCLE THOMAS TELIS ABOUT THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE
HORSE; ITS HABITS IN A WILD STATE; AND THE VARIOUS
MODES OF CAPTURING IT, AND MAKING IT SERVICEABLE TO
MAN.
“ Wetcome, Boys! welcome! I am delighted
to see you again!†exclaimed Uncle Thomas,
in a tone of voice which showed how exactly
his feelings corresponded with the terms of his
speech, as his nephews once more gathered
round him to listen to a new series of stories
which he had promised to relate to them—
STORIES ABouT Horses. ‘The boys were
equally delighted: Frank had of late been
B
2 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
quite captivated with a little Shetland pony—
one of the tiniest of its race—which a gentle-
man in the neighbourhood had procured from
the North of Scotland, and which scampered
about his lawn, seeming at a little distance
scarcely larger than a big Newfoundland dog
which he kept to watch his premises. John
and Harry, though they could not help ad-
miring the wild shaggy little creature, were
somewhat more measured in their admiration ;
indeed it seemed questionable whether the
hunter which the gentleman sometimes rode
did not more take John’s fancy, while the affec-
tions of Harry were set on a noble racer of the
Arabian breed which they almost daily saw
exercised on the Downs. The proposal of
Uncle Thomas to tell them stories about Horses
was therefore to each a source of delightful an-
ticipation.
As soon as the greetings had been duly ex-
changed, and the boys had seated themselves,
Uncle Thomas began :—
INTRODUCTION. 3
‘The animal, Boys, of whose sagacity and
docility — am going to relate to you many sin-
cular instances, was decidedly the noblest con-
quest ever made by man over the beasts of the
field. Without the assistance of the Horse,
civilization would have made much slower pro-
gress, and mankind would, without doubt, have
been some centuries later in emerging from
their primitive state of barbarism. Under the
dominion of man, the Horse freely submits to
his decision, and seems to have no wish but to
obey his master’s commands. Under his guid-
ance it faces danger without dismay—fires at the
sound of war, and pursues the enemy with an
ardour and perseverance matched only by that
of its master. In short, in the words of an
eminent writer, 1t—
‘holds a rank,
Important in the plan of Him who formed
This scale of being; holds a rank, which lost
Would break the chain, and leave behind a gap,
Which Nature’s self would rue.’ â€
A STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
“ Were horses originally wild, Uncle Tho-
mas Pâ€
“ Certainly, John, like all other creatures
they were created free, and were, with the
others, put by their Creator under the dominion
of man, in the celebrated sentence, ‘ have domi-
nion over the fish of the sea,’ etc., which I dare
say you will recollect, as recorded in the first
chapter of Genesis.â€
“ Oh, yes! Uncle Thomas; but are they to
be found in this wild state now ?â€
“In some parts of the world they are to be
found in great numbers im a state of wildness,
Frank, but it is very questionable whether in any
place where they are now to be found, they exist
as an original race, but are, as seems most
likely, descended from domesticated animals,
which have from time to time escaped from, or
been turned adrift by their owners. In South
America, for instance, where before the settle-
ment of Europeans the horse was unknown, it
has now multiphed to such an extent, as per-
WILD HORSES. 5
haps to outnumber those on the Eastern Con-
tinent. In the southern parts of Siberia, in the
great Mongolian deserts, and in some parts of
Russia, large herds are sometimes to be found,
but in all these places their parentage can with
more or less distinctness be traced to the do-
mestic race. At the Cape of Good Hope too
they are found in large troops, but there they
are said to be of a small size, and very vicious
and untameable.â€â€™
‘Are they not also found in Arabia, Uncle
Thomas ?â€â€™
“They are, Frank; indeed Arabia has been
Jong famed for the excellence of its horses.
From their superiority to those of other coun- |
tries, it was long thought to be their native soil,
whence they had spread over the world; but
this has been disputed. Whether it is so or
not, it is certain that they are found more hand-
some, graceful, generous, and persevering there
than elsewhere.â€
6 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
‘And do they run wild in that country,
Uncle Thomas >â€
“Tn the deserts of Arabia wild horses are to
be found in considerable numbers, Harry ; but
the finest animals are those bred under the
care of man. ‘The Bedouin Arabs, a wandering
tribe, rear them in great numbers; but before I
proceed to give you an account of the Arabian
horse, I must first tell you something of the
habits of the animal in a wild state, which have
a remarkable similarity all over the world.
‘‘In their native plains, whether of the old
or the new world, they generally congregate in
herds, consisting of from five hundred to a
thousand. Powerful as they are, however, they
never attack other animals, but content them-
selves with acting on the defensive. So watchful
are they, that when reposing they generally
leave a sentinel to give notice of the approach
of danger. When the alarm is given, the whole
troop start to their feet, and after reconnoitering
their enemy, either give battle, or, should the
CONTEST WITH A LION. 7
danger seem imminent, gallop off with incon-
ceivable speed. When they determine on re-
pelling their assailant—generally a lon or a
tiger, or some of the larger beasts of prey—they
close round him in a dense mass, and soon
trample him to death; but if the attack 1s of a
more serious character, they form a circle, in
the centre of which the young and the females
are placed, and, ranging themselves with their
heels towards their foes, repel the most vigorous
attacks. What powerful weapons the heels of
an enraged horse are, you may judge from a
little story which occurs to me illustrative of
this fact :—
‘“‘ A nobleman, in the early part of the reien
of Louis XV., having a very vicious horse,
which none of the grooms or servants would
ride—several of them having been thrown, and
one killed—asked leave of his majesty to have
him turned loose into the menagerie, against
one of the largest lions. The king readily con-
sented, and the animal on a certain day was
§ STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
conducted thither. Soon after the arrival of the
horse the door of the den was drawn up, and
the lion with great state and majesty marched
slowly to the mouth of it, when, seemg his
antagonist, he set up a tremendous roar. ‘The
horse immediately started and fell back; his
ears were erected, his mane was raised, his eyes
sparkled, and something like a general convul-
sion seemed to agitate his whole frame. After
the first emotions of fear had subsided, the horse
retired to a corner of the menagerie, where,
having directed his heels towards the lion, and
raising his head over his left shoulder, he
watched with extreme eagerness the motions of
his enemy.
“The hon presently quitted the den, moved
cautiously about for a minute or two, as if
meditating the mode of attack, when, having
sufficiently prepared himself for the combat, he
made a sudden spring at the horse, which de-
fended itself by striking its adversary a most
violent blow on the chest.
CONTEST WITH A LION. 9
“The lion instantly retreated, groaned, and
seemed for several minutes inclined to give up
the contest; but recovering from the painful
effects of the blow, here turned to the charge with
unabated vigour, making similar preparations
for this second attack to those which he had
previously done for the first. He moved about
from one side of the menagerie to the other for
a considerable time, seeking a favourable oppor-
tunity to seize his prey; the horse, in the mean-
time, still preserving the same posture of de-
fence, and carefully keeping his eye fixed on
his enemy’s motions. ‘The lion at length gave
a second spring, with all his remaining strength ;
but the watchful horse was prepared for him,
and struck him with his hoof on the under jaw,
which he fractured.
« Having thus sustained a second and more
severe repulse, the lion retreated to his den as
well as he was able, apparently in the greatest
agony, moaning all the way in a most lament-
able manner. ‘The horse, however, was soon
10 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
obliged to be shot, as no one ever dared to ap-
proach the ground where he was kept.
“In some parts of the world the natives
replenish their studs from the wild herds. It
requires, however, great adroitness to secure
them. In Tartary, they train large birds of the
hawk species to hunt the wild horses; they are
taught to seize the horse by the head or neck,
when it darts off at the utmost speed, hoping im
this way to rid itself of its enemy. ‘The bird,
however, pertinaciously retains its hold, till the
horse, quite exhausted, becomes an easy prey to
its pursuers.â€
‘That seems an excellent plan, Uncle Tho-
mas; I wonder how they manage to train the
bird so well.â€
“Tt has this disadvantage, Frank, that it
requires a great many assistants, spread over
a large extent of country. ‘They cannot, of
course, tell beforehand in what direction the
horse will run, and must, therefore, station
parties at considerable distances; besides, the
THE LASSO. ll
horse, if very vigorous, may go a great way
before: he is exhausted, and if not quickly
secured, will recover and be prepared for a
fresh gallop before his pursuers come up.
The plan practised in South America is more
simple. They are there secured by means of
a weapon called a lasso, which consists of a
very strong plaited thong, about half an inch
in thickness, and about forty feet in length.
It 1s made of strips of untanned hide, and is
kept quite pliant by being well oiled. At one
end there is an iron ring, about an inch and a
half in diameter, through which the thong is
passed, and thus forms a running-noose. The
other end is fastened to the saddle-girth of the
hunter, who holds the remainder carefully coiled
in his left hand.
“ Mounted on a horse which has been accus-
tomed to the sport, the huntsman gallops over
the plain in the direction of the wild herd, and,
circling round them, gradually approaches.
When sufficiently near some straggler from the
12 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
main body, he throws the lasso with almost
unerring aim round the hind legs of his victim.
In an instant he turns his steed, and with a
sudden jerk pulls the feet of his captive from
beneath him, and it falls on its side. Before
it can recover the shock, the hunter dismounts,
wraps his cloak round the animal’s head, and
forces mto its mouth one of the powerful bridles
of the country, straps a saddle on its back, and,
bestriding it, removes the covering from its
eyes. The astonished animal springs on its
feet, and endeavours, by a thousand vain efforts,
to disencumber itself of its enslaver, who sits
quite composedly on its back, and soon reduces
it to complete obedience.â€
‘“‘ That is decidedly better than the Tartar
mode, Uncle Thomas; but I think you once
told me of a man who could tame the wildest
horses by merely speaking to them: that was
more wonderful still.â€
“ It was so, Frank. You refer to the case of
James Sullivan, the Irishman, I suppose ; and,
‘oman WHISPERER. 13
as I dare say neither John nor Harry ever heard
of him, J will tell you all that is known of him
and his mode of subduing vicious horses :-—
‘‘ Sullivan was a native of Cork, and fol-
lowed the occupation of a horse-breaker. Though
in appearance a rude, ignorant rustic, of the
lowest class, he had by some means or other
acquired a power over the horse, which has
never been equalled. | When his assistance was
called in, no matter how vicious or what de-
scription of iil habit his patients laboured under,
he rendered them gentle and tractable in the
incredibly short space of half an hour; and this
too, apparently, without the slightest attempt at
severity or coercion of any kind.
“ His first operation was to direct the door
of the stable, in which his patient was, to be
closed, and not to be opened till a particular
signal was made. They remained shut up in
this way usually about half an hour, durmg
which, littl or no bustle was heard. When
the signal was given and the door opened, the
14 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
horse was usually found lymg down, and the
man by its side, playing familiarly with it, as
as ifit had all its life been one of the gentlest of
creatures.â€
«That was very singular, Uncle Thomas.
How could he do it?â€
« That is a mystery, Harry, which cannot be
so easily explained. He kept his process a
profound secret; and, though the fact that he
did possess the power cannot be doubted, no
one has been able to account for it. He was
known among the common people by the name
of ‘the whisperer, as they fancied he com-
municated with the animal in this manner.
Even his son, however, who followed his father’s
profession, was ignorant of his secret, and un-
able to succeed in the same way. That he
acquired, by some means or other, a certain
power over the fears of the animal, there can be
little doubt, as in one case, to which an intelli-
gent person was eye-witness, he perceived that
the horse which had undergone, on the previous
‘SoH WHISPERER.†15
day, a half-hour’s confinement with Sullivan,
betrayed symptoms of fear whenever he spoke
or looked at it. What was still more remark-
able was, that, though this docility was com-
municated so speedily, it retained a permanent
influence on their dispositions.â€
“ T cannot think what he did to them, Uncle
Thomas.â€
« And I am sorry I cannot enlighten you,
Harry. But I see it is now time to stop for the
night; to-morrow I will tell you about the
Arabian, which I was obliged to postpone
this evening for the purpose of introducing the
account of the general habits of the horse, which
I hope has not been uninteresting to you.â€
“We have been very highly interested, indeed,
Uncle Thomas.â€
*“¢ Very well, Boys; good night.â€
“* Good night, Uncle Thomas.â€
16
CHAPTER IT.
UNCLE THOMAS RELATES SEVERAL INTERESTING STORIES ABOUT
ARABIAN HORSES, AND ABOUT THE AFFECTION WHICH SUBSISTS
BETWEEN THEM AND THE ARABS THEIR MASTERS.
“ Gosp evening, Uncle Thomas !â€â€™
‘“‘ Good evening, Boys! I am glad to see you
have come early, as I have some long and plea-
sant stories for you to-night.â€
*« About the Arabian, Uncle Thomas ?â€
“ Yes, John, about your favourite, the Ara-
bian. But, before I begin, I must describe the
animal to you, that you may know what are
the marks which distinguish it from other
horses. The Arabian is generally about four-
teen hands in height. Do you know what the
term ‘ hand,’ as applied to measuring horses,
means, Frank Pâ€â€™
pene ee
= se
Se eet een
pea ee ee ee
= —~—
SE IOI
« oe en |
R Sands fe oe Se
ARABIAN.
THE ARABIAN. 17
“Yes, Uncle Thomas ; it is a measure of four
inches, I believe.â€â€™
“ You are quite right. Well, the Arabian is
generally about -fourteen hands in height. Its
head is very beautifully formed; the forehead
broad and square, the muzzle short and fine,
and the eyes prominent. Its nostrils are large,
and its ears small; and the skin is so fine and
thin, that the veins may be distinctly traced.
The neck-is beautifully curved; and, though
the body is light and the .chest narrow, the
latter conduces materially to their swiftness,
and is a matter of little importance in a horse
not intended ‘for draught. Its legs are thin,
and very handsome, and its tail and mane long
and flowing.â€
“The description does not exactly suit the
racers we see exercising on the Downs, Uncle
Thomas.â€
“I speak of the Arabian in the pure breeds,
John. In this country they are crossed, for the
purpose of securing some real or fancied ad-
C
18 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
vantage, and, of course, the more distant the
descent from the original race, the less charac-
teristic will be the distinctive marks.
“‘In Arabia, as elsewhere, they have various
kinds of horses, some of which are highly
esteemed and anxiously tended by their owners,
while others are doomed to drudgery and hard-
ship. The noble race—the Kochlani, as they
are called in the Persian language—according
to an European eye-witness, ‘evinces uncommon
mildness of temper, an unalterable faithfulness to
his master, a courage and intrepidity as aston-
ishing as they are mnate in his noble breast,
an unfailing remembrance of the places where
he has been, of the treatment he has received.
In the most horrid confusion of a battle, cool
and collected, he never forgets the place he
came from, and, though mortally wounded, if
he can gather up sufficient strength, he carries
back his desponding rider to his defeated tribe.
His intelligence is wonderful; he knows when
he is sold, or even when his master is bargain-
THE ARABIAN. 19
ing to sell him. When the proprietor and pur-
chaser meet for that purpose in the stables, the
Kochlan soon guesses what is going on, becomes
restless, gives from his beautiful eye a side-
glance at the merchants, paws the ground with
his foot, and plainly shows his discontent.
Neither the buyer, nor any other, dares to come
near him; but, the bargain being struck, the
vendor taking the Kochlan by the halter, gives
him up to the purchaser, with a slice of bread and
some salt, and turns away, never more to look at
him as his own; an ancient custom of taking
leave of a horse, and his recognising a new
master. It is then that this generous and noble
animal becomes tractable, mild, and faithful to
another, and proves himself immediately at-
tached to him whom his passion, a few minutes
before, might have laid at his feet and trampled
under his hoof. ‘This is not an idle story; I
have been a witness of, and an actor in, the in-
teresting scene, having bought three of these
high-spirited animals in ]810 and 1811, from
290 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
Turkish prisoners. I made the bargain in the
stables, and received personally, and led off the
most fierce but intelligent animals, which, before
the above-mentioned ceremony, I should not
have dared to approach. The fact has been
confirmed to me by all the Turkish and Arab
prisoners, and by several rich Armenian mer-
chants who deal in horses, and go generally to
the desert to buy them. The Kochlans also
evince great warlike qualities.’ â€â€™
“ Oh, delightful, Uncle Thomas! How I
should like to have such an animal. I am sure
the racer is a real Arabian, he seems so spirited
and at the same time so gentle.â€
“ We can hardly wonder at the extreme gen-
tleness of the Arabian, John, when we consider
how differently they are treated from English
horses, or indeed from those of any other coun-
try. The Arabs live constantly in tents, and
these are always shared with their horses, so
that the whole family live together in indis-
criminate friendship ; the mare and her foal occu-
THE ARABIAN. 21
pying perhaps the same corner which serves the
children for a sleeping-place; where, indeed,
they may be often seen prattling to. their four-
legged companions, climbing on their bodies, or
hanging round their necks, with all the unsus-
pecting fondness of perfect security.
‘¢ Accustomed from their infancy thus to treat
théir horses with kindness, a spirit of affection
springs up between them, which is very rarely
interrupted. ‘The use of the whip is unknown ;
their willing services are secured by affection
alone. It is only in the utmost extremity that
the spur is used, and when this is the case, they
set off with amazing swiftness, overcoming every
obstacle, and sometimes even falling victims to
their generous ardour. Chateaubriand, a French
traveller, relates an instance in which the exer-
tions of a noble animal to save its master proved
fatal :—‘ When I was at Jerusalem, the feats of
one of these steeds made a great noise. The
Bedouin, to whom the animal, a mare, belonged,
being pursued by the governor’s guards, rushed
2 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
with him from the top of the hills that overlook
Jericho. The mare scoured at full gallop
down an almost perpendicular declivity, without
stumbling, and left the soldiers lost in admira-
tion and astonishment. The poor creature,
however, dropped down dead on entering Je-
richo, and the Bedouin, who would not quit her,
was taken, weeping over the body of his faithful
companion. ‘This mare has a brother in the
desert, who is so famous, that the Arabs always
know where he has been, where he is, what he
is doing, and how he does. Ali Aga religiously
showed me, in the mountains near Jericho, the
footsteps of the mare that died in the attempt to
save her master. A Macedonian could not have
beheld those of Bucephalus with greater re-
spect.’
“The Arab is not, however, without discri-
mination in his love for his horse. In order to
try the spirit of the animal they are said early
to put them to very severe tests. The most
general method of trying their swiftness is by
THE ARABIAN. 23
hunting the ostrich, which is found on _ the
sandy plains with which those countries abound.
When the ostrich sees that it is pursued, it
makes for the mountains, while the horsemen
follow at the utmost speed, and endeavour to
cut off its retreat. The chase then continues
along the plain, the ostrich using both legs and
wings in its endeavours to outstrip its pursuers.
Rapid as is its flight, however, a horse of first-
rate speed is able to outrun it, so that the poor
animal is at length compelled to have recourse
to art, frequently turning, and thus endea-
vouring to elude its persevering pursuers. At
length, finding escape impossible, it buries its
head in some tuft of the scanty herbage which
clothes the plain, and suffers itself to be taken.
If in achase of this kind a horse shows great
speed, and is not readily tired, his character is
established.
‘‘ Sometimes, however, they put them to even
severer trials—riding over their burning de-
serts without stopping to refresh the poor
QA STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
animal, and exposed to the beating of a burning
sun, perhaps for a hundred miles; arrived at
the end of their journey, the horse is plunged
into water, up to the middle, and if immediately
after this he will eat his barley, his staunchness
and the purity of his blood is considered in-
controvertible, and he accordingly rises in esti-
mation.â€
“That seems very hard usage, Uncle
‘Thomas.’
“Tt is so, Frank, but it 1s amply redeemed
by their otherwise kind treatment. Many stories
of the extreme attachment of the Arab to his
horse are recorded. Here is one :—A person of
the name of Ibrahim being reduced to poverty,
was forced to allow a merchant at Rama to be-
come part-proprietor of a favourite mare. He
went frequently to see her, and wouid embrace
her, wipe her eyes with his handkerchief, rub
her with his shirt sleeves, give her a thousand
benedictions, and would remain talking to her
during whole hours. ‘ My eyes, he would say
THE ARABIAN. 25
to her, ‘my soul, my heart! must I be so un-
fortunate as to have thee sold to so many
masters, and not to keep thee myself? lam
poor, my antelope! Thou knowest it well, my
darling! I brought thee up in my dwelling as
my child; I did never beat nor chide thee; [
caressed thee in the proudest manner. Allah
preserve thee, my beloved! Thou art beau-
tiful, thou art sweet, thou art lovely! Allah
defend thee from envious eyes !’
‘There is another story of the same kind,
Boys, which is still more affecting, and which at
the same time affords a good specimen of the
florid and impassioned style of the Arabs :—
“The whole stock of a poor Arab of the de-
sert consisted of a mare, which the French
consul at Said wished to purchase, with the
intention of sending her to Louis XiV. The
Arab hesitated long, but, being pressed by po-.
verty, he at length consented, on condition
of receiving a very considerable sum, which he
named. The consul wrote to France for per-
26 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
mission to close the bargain, and having ob-
tained it, he immediately sent for the Arab, to
secure the mare and pay for her. The man
arrived with his magnificent courser. He dis-
mounted, a wretched spectacle, with only a
miserable rag to cover his body. He stood
leaning upon the mare; the purse was tendered
to him ; he looked at the gold, and gazing sted-
fastly at his mare, heaved a deep sigh; the
tears trickled down his cheeks :—‘ To whom
is it, he exclaimed, ‘I am going to yield thee
up? ‘lo Europeans—who will tie thee close,
who will beat thee, who will render thee mise-
rable! Return with me, my beauty! my jewel !
and rejoice the hearts of my children!’ As he
pronounced the last words, he sprung upon her
back, and was out of sight in a moment.â€
“Poor fellow! I dare say, Uncle Thomas,
that his horse was of more real value to him than
the gold, poor as he was.â€â€™
‘* The value of everything, Frank, ought to be
estimated by its power of producing happiness—
THE ARABIAN. 27
a feeling which approaches perfection in propor-
tion as it is unmixed with regret. Thus for
instance, the Arab of whom I have just told
you, by the sale of his mare, might have been
raised from poverty to a state of comparative
riches, but if a strong feeling of sorrow for
parting with his horse remained on his mind, the
mere possession of riches would have been very
far from producing happiness; and the same
principle applies to everything else.â€â€™
“‘T wonder how so poor a man had such a
valuable horse, Uncle Thomas.â€â€™
‘‘ Let the Arab be ever so poor, Harry, he
always possesses a horse. In Arabia they
usually ride upon mares, experience having
taught them that they bear fatigue, hunger, and
thirst better than horses. They are also less
vicious, and more gentle. They teach them
hardihood and endurance, by treatment which
would almost ruin any other race. ‘They are
never, says Chateaubriand, ‘ put under shelter,
but left exposed to the most intense heat of the
98 STORIFS ABOUT HORSES.
sun, tied by all four legs to stakes driven into
the grouad, so that they cannot stir; the saddle
is never taken from their backs; they frequently
drink but once, and have only one feed of barley
in twenty-four hours. This rigid treatment,
however, so far from wearying them out, gives
them sobriety and speed. I have often admired
an Arabian steed, thus tied down to the burning
sands, his hair loosely flowing, his head bowed
between his legs, to find a little shade, and
stealing with his wild eye an oblique glance at
his master. Release his legs from the shackles,
spring upon his back, and he “will paw in
the valley, he will rejoice in his strength, he
will swallow the ground in the fierceness of his
rage,’ and you recognise the original picture of
Job. Eighty or one hundred piastres, continues
the same writer, ‘are given for an ordinary
horse, which is in general less valued than an
ass or a mule; buta horse of well-known noble
blood will fetch any price. The Pacha of Da-
THE ARABIAN. 29
mascus has just given three thousand piastres
for one.’ â€â€™
“That sounds like a very‘ large sum, Uncle
Thomas.â€
“So it does, Harry, but if you will take the
trouble to reckon it up, you will find it is not
quite so much as you imagine. Very high
prices have, however, been given for first-rate
Arabians in this country. Buckfoot, one of the
most famous horses of his time, was sold for
twelve hundred pounds; another, which was
brought from India, cost, including the expense
of passage, etc., fifteen hundred guineas. These
high prices, however, are only given for horses
which have proved themselves superior Racers.â€â€™
‘“* Are all race-horses Arabians, Uncle Tho-
mas Pâ€â€™
“‘ No, Harry, but I must not enter upon that
subject to-night ; we will leave it till we meet
again, when I will willingly tell you all I know
abcut the Racer. Before you go, however,
ol) STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
there is one little story which I must tell
you :—
¢¢ An Arab sheick, or chief, who lived within
fifty miles of Bussorah, had a favourite breed of
horses. He one day missed one of his best
mares, and could not, for a long while, discover
whether she was stolen or had strayed. Some
time after, a young man of a different tribe,
who had long wished to marry his daughter,
but had always been rejected by the sheick,
obtained the lady’s consent, and eloped with
her. The sheick and his followers pursued, but
the lover and his mistress, mounted on one
horse, made a wonderful march, and escaped.
The old chief swore, that the fellow was either
mounted npon the devil, or the favourite mare
which he had lost. After his return, he found
the latter was the case; that the lover was the
thief of his mare as well as his daughter; and
that he had stolen the one to carry off the other.
The chief was quite gratified to think he had
not been beaten by a mare of another breed ;
THE ARABIAN. 31
and was easily reconciled to the young man, in
order that he might recover his horse, which ap-
peared an object about which he was more soli-
citous than about his daughter.â€
“ What an affectionate parent he must have
been, Uncle Thomas!†remarked Frank, in
his dry sarcastic way. At which Uncle Thomas
laughed heartily, and wishing the boys good
night, they separated for the evening.
CHAPTER IIT.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE ENGLISH RACE-HORSE; THE
MODE IN WHICH IT IS TRAINED; AND ABOUT ITS EXTRAOR-
DINARY SPEED.
“ ‘To-nient, Boys, J promised, at our last
meeting, to tell you about the Racer, so I begin
at once :—
“The Racer, in some points, bears consi-
derable resemblance to the Arabian, from which
the most distinguished racers have been de-
scended. They are more patient and enduring,
—are capable of much longer-continued exer-
tion than the pure Arabian; and in speed the
English Race-horse is equal, if not superior, to
those of every other country.
“ In training them for the race-course, I dare
say you will be astonished, Boys, to hear the
amount of pains which are taken. You see
Ut Tet |
Ry tea var ‘ ay ‘
¢ come bits? 4g LD a td
RAC HR,
THE RACER. 33
them exercising daily on the Downs, but I
am sure you cannot imagine how much care 1s
expended upon them, before they are fit for
entering the race-course, and contending for
the prize. Shall I describe how they are trained,
Harry ?â€
“Oh! by all means, Uncle Thomas; I am
very anxious to hear about the mode of training
Race-horses.â€
“In stables set apart for this purpose, it
is usual for all the boys who are engaged in
tending the horses to rise at the same hour,
from half-past two in the morning im spring, to
between four and five in the depth of winter.
The horses hear them when they awaken each
other, and neigh, to denote their eagerness to
be fed. Being dressed, the boy begins with
carefully cleaning out the manger, and giving
the horse a feed of oats, which he is obliged
no less carefully to sift. He then proceeds to
dress the litter; that is, to shake the bed on
which the horse has been lying, remove what-
D
34 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
ever is wet or unclean, and to lay aside the
remaining straw for future use. The whole
stables are then thoroughly swept, the places
for admitting fresh arr kept open, by which the
stable is gradually cooled, and the horse, having
ended his first feed, is roughly cleaned and
dressed.
“ In about half an hour after they begin, the
horses have been rubbed down and re-clothed,
saddled, each turned in his stall, then bridled,
mounted, and the whole string goes out to
morning exercise; each boy knows his place,
and one usually takes the lead. Except by
accident, the race-horse never trots. He must
either walk or gallop; and in exercise, even
when it is the hardest, the gallop begins slowly
and gradually, and increases till the horse is
nearly at full speed. When he has galloped
about half an mile, the boy begins to push him
forward without relaxation for another half mile.
This is at the period when the horses are in full
exercise, to which they come by degrees. The
THE RACER. 39
boy among those of light weight that can best
regulate these degrees is generally chosen to
lead the gallop—that is, he goes first out of the
stable and first returns.
“‘ In the time of long exercise, this is the first
brushing gallop. A brushing gallop means that
the horses are nearly at full speed before it is
over, and it is commonly made at last rather up
hill. Having all pulled up, the horses stand
for two or three minutes to recover their wind:
tney then leisurely descend the hill, and take a
long walk; after which they are brought to
water. But in this, as in everything else (at
least as soon as long exercise begins), everything
is measured tothem. The boy counts the num-
ber of times the horse swallows when he drinks,
and allows him to take no more gulps than the
groom orders; the fewest in the hardest exer-
cise, and one horse more or less than another,
according to the judgment of the groom. After
watering, a genile gallop is taken, and after that
another walk of considerable length; to which
36 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
succeeds the second and last brushing gallop,
which is by far the most severe. When it is
over, another pause, thoroughly to recover their
wind, isallowed them; their last walk is begun,
the limits of which are prescribed: and it ends
in directing their ride homewards.
«The morning’s exercise often extends to
four hours, and the evening’s to about the same
time. Once more in the stable, each lad begins
his labours. He leads the horse into his stall,
ties him up, rubs down his legs with straw,
takes off his saddle and body-clothes, curries
him carefully, then goes over him with both
curry-comb and brush, and never leaves him till
he has thoroughly cleansed his skin, so that
neither spot nor wet, nor any appearance of
neglect may be seen about him. The horse 1s
then re-clothed, and suffered to repose for some
time, which is first employed in satisfying his
hunger, and recovering from his weariness. All
this is performed, and the stables are once more
shut up, about nine o’clock.â€â€™
THE RACER. 37
“That is astonishing Uncle Thomas; I
really had no idea traming was such a serious
matter.â€
“ Many thousands of pounds are annually
spent, John, in thus trainmg horses for the
various race-courses. Sometimes the animals
enter as completely into the spirit of the race as
the riders or spectators. An instance of this, of
which he was an eye-witness, is recorded in
Holcroft’s Memoirs. I must first tell you,
however, that Forrester was a horse of consider-
able note, and had won many hard-contested
races in his day :—
« «When I had been about a year and a half
at Newmarket,’ says Holcroft, ‘ Captam Vernon
matched a horse, named Forrester, against Ele-
phant, a horse belonging to Sir Jennison Shattoe,
whom I saw ride this famous match. I think it
was a four-mile heat, over the straight course,
and the abilities of Forrester were such, that he
passed the flat and ascended the hill as far as
the distance-post, nose to nose with Elephant.
38 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
Between this and the chair, Elephant, in conse-
quence of hard whipping, got some little way
before him, while Forrester exerted every pos-
sible power to recover his lost equality, till,
finding all his efforts ineffectual, he made one
sudden spring, and caught Elephant by the
under jaw, which he griped so violently, as to
hold him back; nor was it without the utmost
difficulty that he could be forced to quit his
hold. Poor Forrester!’ remarks Holcroft, with
great feeling, ‘he lost, but he lost most honour-
ably.†â€â€™
‘‘ How fast do racers generally run, Uncle
Thomas ?â€â€™
‘« An ordinary racer, Harry, moves at the rate
of about a mile in two minutes. But there have
been instances of rapidity even exceeding this.
A horse called Bay Malton ran, at York, four
miles in seven minutes and forty-three seconds ;
and Flying Childers—so called for his uncom-
mon speed—has been frequently known to move
above eighty-two feet and a half in a second, or
THE RACER. 39
almost a mile.in a minute! On one occasion he
ran over the round course at Newmarket, which
is very little less than four miles, in six minutes
and forty seconds. He also ran over the Beacon
course at the same place, which measures four
miles, one furlong, and one hundred and thirty-
eight yards, in seven minutes and thirty seconds,
covering at every bound a space of about twenty-
five feet !â€â€
“ T have often heard a horse named Eclipse
spoken of as very fleet, Uncle Thomas. Did
you ever hear of him?â€
“ Oh yes, Frank !’’ I know all about Eclipse,
which was one of the most celebrated horses of
his day; and as his history is rather a singular
one, I will tell it to you.
‘‘ Hclipse was bred by the famous George,
Duke of Cumberland, and as he happened to be
foaled during the great eclipse of 1764, the
duke gave him that name. When the duke’s
stud was sold off, Eclipse was bought by a Mr.
Wildman. This person had a friend in the
AO STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
service of the duke, who pointed out to him the
superior points in the form of this horse, and he
hastened to attend the sale: but, before his
arrival, if had been knocked down at seventy
guineas. He, however, instantly appealed to
his watch, which he knew to be an exceedingly
correct time-piece, and finding that, according
to advertisement, the appointed hour of sale had
not yet arrived by a few minutes, he insisted that
the sale had not been a lawful one, and that the
lots knocked down should be again put up,
which was accordingly done, and Hclipse was
purchased by him for the sum of seventy-five
guineas.
‘In the first race which Eclipse ran, it hap-
pened that all the five horses which had started
were close together at the three-mile post,
when some of the jockeys used their whips.
At this time Eclipse was going at an easy
gallop, when taking alarm at the crack of the
whip, he bounded off at his full speed; and
although his rider was a man of powerful arm,
THE RACER. Al
he was not to be restrained, and in consequence
distanced the whole of his competitors.â€
‘“ Did he wish to restrain him, Uncle
Thomas ?â€â€™
“Tn racing, Harry, it is usual for the riders
to set off at an easy pace, at which rate they
continue, gradually increasing till they arrive at
some distance from the winning post, when they
put forth all their exertions. If a horse sets off
at his full speed too soon he is apt to be blown
before the proper time for exerting himself ar-
rives, and thus to afford an easy victory to his
opponents.â€
“I understand the matter now, Uncle
Thomas.â€
“ Before Eclipse ran for the King’s plate at
Winchester, in 1769, Mr. O’Kelly purchased
the half share of him for six hundred and fifty
guineas ; he afterwards became sole proprietor,
for an additional sum of a thousand guineas.
It is said that one of the Bedford family asked
O’Kelly, in 1779, what he would take for
4.2 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
Eclipse, when he replied, ‘By the mass, my
lord, it is not all Bedford Level that would
purchase him.’ About this period he is also
said to have asked, from another person, twenty-
five thousand pounds down, and an annuity of
five hundred pounds on his own life, besides
other privileges.â€
“ He must have been a very valuable horse,
Uncle Thomas.â€
‘“O’Kelly, according to his own account,
gained by this horse twenty-five thousand pounds,
and the statement is believed to be correct. Helipse
won eleven King’s plates, in ten of which he
carried twelve stone, and in the other, ten. It
was calculated, that within the course of twenty:
three years, three hundred and forty-four winners,
the descendants of this animal, produced to thei
owners the enormous sum of one hundred ant
fifty-eight thousand and seventy-one pound
twelve shillmgs sterling, exclusive of variou
prizes. The prevailing excellence of all thi
horse’s offspring was great speed, and they took
THE RACER. Ad
up their feet in the gallop with wonderful ac-
tivity; they were not generally famed for stout-
ness, but almost all of them were horses of
fine temper, seldom or never betraying restive-
ness. Eclipse died in 1789, at the age of
twenty-six.â€
“ The large sum you mentioned was won by
betting, I suppose, Uncle Thomas ?â€
“T presume the greater part of it was so,
Frank. It is a species of gambling which
cannot be too highly reprobated. ‘There is,
however, one practice connected with racing,
which is still more reprehensible, which, I fear,
is of too frequent occurrence—it is that of turn-
ing off the horses, when no longer fit for the
-Yace-course, to undergo the most laborious em-
ployment and the cruellest treatment. Mr.
Youatt, an eminent veterinary surgeon, in a recent
work, affords some details on this subject, from
which every feeling mind must revolt :—
“Ambo, the fastest horse of his day, who
won the Holywell Mostyn stakes three years in
4,4, STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
succession, was consigned to drag an opposition
coach that ran through Shrewsbury. When no
longer capable of this exertion, he was degraded
to yet more ignoble employment, and was at
length found dead in a ditch, from absolute
starvation. | Hit-or-Miss, a good racer, was
during the last years of his life seen drawing
coal in a higgler’s cart m the same town.
Mameluke is at this time drawing a cab in the
streets of the metropolis; and Guildford, after
having won for his various owners seventeen
races, was affected with incurable string-halt,
and was sold at a repository for less than four
pounds! Thence the hero of the turf was
doomed to an omnibus. There he was cruelly
used ; the spasmodic convulsion that characterises
string-halt sadly aggravating his torture. The
skin was rubbed from his shoulders, his hips
and haunches were bruised in every part, and
his stifles were continually and painfully coming
in contact with the pole. In this situation he
was seen by the veterinary surgeon to the So-
THE RACER. 4D
ciety for Preventing Cruelty to Animals, and
bought, in order to be slaughtered.’ â€â€™
“ Shocking ! Uncle Thomas.â€
“Tt is indeed dreadful, Boys, and tells loudly
of the want of humanity on the part of their
owners. But it gets late, so we must stop for
the evening.â€
“Good night, Uncle Thomas.â€
46
CHAPTER IV.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE HUNTER, AND RELATES MAN}.
INTERESTING STORIES OF HIS SAGACITY AND LOVE OF SPORT,
‘“‘ Here we are again, Uncle Thomas! I hop
you have some more pleasing stories to tell u
to-night. The account you gave us last evening
of the fate of the poor worn-out race-horses
made us all quite sad.â€
‘“T am happy to say, Boys, that such crud
treatment is far from general. ‘To-night I pur
pose telling you about the hunter, if you have
no objection.â€
“ Oh, certainly not, Uncle Thomas, we shal
be delighted to hear about it.â€
“ Well, Boys, I know not that I can describe
the hunter better to you than by showing you
this pretty little prmt of him by Mr. Le Keus
HUNTER.
THE HUNTER. 47
who is famed for his nice characteristic en-
gravings of animals. Here he is in the middle
of the hunting-field, with his master mounted on
his back, and the dogs busily engaged searching
for game.â€
“Tt seems a strong and powerful animal,
Uncle Thomas, and appears to be considerably
shorter in the body than the racer which you
showed us last night.â€
“Tt isso, Frank. But there are some other
points to which I must draw your attention
besides this, I will therefore describe to you, in
as few words as | can, what a hunter ought to
be. The whole form of a horse which is de-
signed for a hunter ought to be well knit toge-
ther, as the jockeys express it; the ears should
be small, open, and pricked: or, if they be
somewhat long, yet, if they stand upright,
and hold like those of a fox, it is a sign of
toughness and hardiness. The forehead should
be long and broad, not flat ; the eyes full, large,
and bright; the nostrils not only large, but
48 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
looking red and fresh with, for an open and
fresh nostril is always considered a sign of good
wind. ‘The mouth should be large; the wind-
pipe capacious, and appear straight when the
animal bridles his head, since if it bend like a
bow it is not formed for a free passage of the
breath. The head should be set so on the
neck that a space may be felt between the latter
part and thechin. Thecrest ought to be strong,
and well-risen, the neck straight and firm, the
breast strong and broad, the ribs round like a
barrel, the legs clean, flat, and straight, and the
tail and mane should be long and thin, not
short and bushy. When a hunter has been
thus chosen, and has been taught to obey the
signal of the bridle and hand, has gained a
true temper of mouth, and has learned to stop,
make forward, and turn readily—if of a proper
age, he is fit for the field. It 1s a rule with
stanch sportsmen that no horse should be
used for hunting till he is five years old,
although some will take them to the field at
THE HUNTER. 49
four ; but.at this age a horse has not attained
his full strength and courage, and will not only
fail on a tough trial, but will be subject to
sprains and accidents.â€
“Ts it true, Uncle Thomas, that some horses
enter so much into the spirit of the chase, that
they have been known to follow the hounds
without a rider Pâ€â€™
“ Quite, John; I remember a very striking
instance of it, which took place a few years ago.
A gentleman happening to be on a visit to a
friend in Wiltshire, was mounted on one of his
horses, a well-bred and fiery mare. At the
close of a very fine day’s sport, the huntsmen
had beat a small furze brake, and for the pur-
pose of better threading it, the gentleman dis-
mounted, and gave the bridle of the mare to the
next horseman. Puss was soon started; the
‘halloo’ was given; the person who held the.
mare, in the eagerness of sport, forgot his charge,
loosed his hold, and, regardless of any other
than his own steed, left the mare to shift for
E
30 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
herself. T'o the astonishment of all, instead
of attempting to bend her course homewards
(and she was in the immediate neighbourhood
of her stable), she ran the whole course at the
tail of the dogs; turned as well as she could
when they brought the prey about ; and stopped
only at the death of the hare, when she suffered
herself to be quietly taken and remounted.
What rendered the circumstance the more re-
markable was, that she had only twice followed
the hounds previous to this event, which strongly
indicated her natural love of sport.
‘“ Many instances of a similar kind might be
given, Boys; for example, I believe it is no un-
frequent occurrence for hunters, when no longer
fit for the hunting-field, and turned to other
employment, to fire at the sound of the chase,
and be with difficulty restrained from joming.
A remarkable instance of this, in which, how-
ever, the animals were not restrained, occurred
in 1807, when the Liverpool mail was changing
horses at the inn at Monk’s Heath, between
THE HUNTER. 51
Congleton and Newcastle-under-Line. The
horses which had performed the stage were
taken off and separated when Sir Peter War-
burton’s fox-hounds were heard in full cry.
The horses immediately started after them with
their harness on, and followed the chase until
the last. One of them, a blood mare, kept the
track of the whipper-in, and gallantly fol-
lowed him for about two hours over every leap
he took, until Reynard ran to earth in a neigh-
bouring plantation. These spirited horses were
led back to the inn at Monk’s Heath, and per-
formed their stage back to Congleton on the
same evening.â€
‘They must have been very spirited animals,
Uncle Thomas.â€â€™
“While we are talking about horses hunting
without riders, Boys, I must not omit to tell you
about one of the most curious instances of this
kind that I dare say ever happened.
“The late Duke of Richmond kept some
hunters in the county of Sussex. A monkey,
52 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
which was kept in the stable, was remarkably
fond of getting on the backs of the horses,
skipping from one to the other, and teasing the
poor animals incessantly. The groom made a
complaint to the duke, who immediately formed
a plan to remedy the evil. ‘If he is fond of
riding,’ replied his grace, ‘we'll endeavour to
give him enough of it; and accordingly gave
orders to provide a complete jockey dress for the
monkey. ‘The next time the hounds were out,
Jocko, in his uniform, was strapped to the back
of one of the best hunters. The view halloo
being given, away they went through thick and
thin. ‘The horse being fond of the sport, and
carrying so light a weight, soon left all the com-
pany behind. Some of the party passing by a
farm-house, inquired of a countryman whether
he had seen the fox P ‘ Ay, zure,’ said the man,
‘he is gone over yon fallow.’ ‘And was there
any one up with him? ‘Ay, gure!’ said
John, ‘ there be a Little man in yellow jacket
just gone by, riding as though the devil be in
THE HUNTER. 53
un. I hope, from my heart, the young gentle-
man ayn t meet with a fall, for he rides most
monstrous bould.†The experiment had the de-
sired effect; Jocko was sufficiently chafed by
his exercise to make him dislike the sight of the
stable ever afterwards.â€
‘Ha! ha! Uncle Thomas, that was very
good indeed !â€â€
‘‘ It is only the mischievous monkey, with his
antic drollery, Boys, that likes to annoy his
eompanions. Sometimes feelings of sincerest
friendship spring up between stable companions.
Here is an instance.
‘A gentleman of Bristol had a greyhound
which slept in the stable along with a very fine
hunter, of about five years of age. These
animals became mutuaHy attached, and re-
garded each other with the most tender affec-
tion. The greyhound always lay under the
manger, beside the horse, who was so fond of
him, that he was unhappy and restless when
out of his sight. It was a common practice
5A, STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
with the gentleman to whom they belonged, to
call at the stable for the greyhound to accom-
pany him in his walks. On such occasions, the
horse would look over his shoulder at the dog,
with much anxiety, and neigh in a manner
which plainly said, ‘Let me go too! When
the dog returned to the stable, he was always
welcomed by a loud neigh; he ran up to the
horse, and licked his nose; in return, the horse
would scratch his back with his teeth.
‘One day, when the groom was out with the
horse and greyhound for exercise, a large dog
attacked the latter and quickly bore him to
the ground; on which the horse threw back his
ears, and, in spite of all the efforts of the groom,
rushed at the strange dog, seized him by the
back with his teeth, which speedily made him
quit his hold; and, giving him a good shake,
let him fall to the ground. He no sooner got
on his feet, than he judged it prudent to make
a precipitate retreat from so formidable an
enemy.â€
THE HUNTER. 55
«That was very kind, Uncle Thomas.â€
*«« When the affections of the horse are gained,
Frank, whether by its fellow-brutes or by man,
he becomes a steady and determined friend. I
know an illustration of this, which will bear a
contrast with the fidelity of the dog.
“On one occasion, a gentleman, mounted on
a favourite hunter, was returning home from a
jovial meeting, where he had been too liberal in
his potations, and thus destroyed his power of
preserving his equilibrium, and rendered him-
self at the same time somewhat drowsy. In
consequence, he had the misfortune to fall from
his saddle, but in so easy a manner, that it had
not the effect of rousing him from his sleepy
fit, and he felt quite content to repose where he
alighted. His faithful steed, instead of scam-
pering home, as one would have expected, stood
by his prostrate master, and kept a strict watch
over him. He lay thus till sunrise, when he
was discovered by some labourers, sleeping very
contentedly on a heap of stones by the road-side.
56 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
Anxious to afford all-the assistance they could,
they approached the gentleman, with the inten-
tion of replacing him on the saddle, but every
attempt to touch him was resolutely opposed by
the grinning teeth and ready heels of this faithful
and determined guardian.
‘¢ Here is another story of the horse’s attach-
ment to his master, and of its extreme docility.
“ At the table of a celebrated sportsman, in
the vicinity of Sunning, Berks, the conversation
happening to turn on the docility of the brute
creation, the worthy host offered a wager, that
his favourite hunter would, at his request, quit
its quarters in the stable, and follow him into
the dining-room. The bet was instantly ac-
cepted. He accordingly went to the stable,
and, having untied the animal, returned to the
company, closely followed by his quadruped
friend. Not contented with this display, he
proceeded to his bed-room, whither also he was
followed by his horse. Here, however, the
proofs of its obedient disposition ended, for
THE HUNTER. a7
neither entreaty nor force could prevail upon
him to descend the stairs, and in the bed-room
he insisted upon passing the night. In the
morning he manifestedthe same determination
not to retrace his steps, and, after all means of
entreaty and intimidation had been in vain re-
sorted to, his master was compelled to have a
breach made in the wall, through which the
steed was forced to leap upon the ground, where
a quantity of straw had been spread to receive
him. ‘The descent was accomplished in safety ;
but owing to the trouble and expense occasioned
by the visit, the owner declined for the future
inviting his favourite beyond the parlour.â€â€™
“‘ T wonder how it managed to get up stairs,
Uncle Thomas; I did not know horses would
ascend stairs at all.â€â€™
“Oh, yes, Harry, they sometimes do; but
they do not always escape so well as the Berk-
shire steed. For instance: ‘ Early one morn-
ing, a horse belonging to Mr. Richard Cove, of
Cranwell, near Waddesdon, Bucks, slipped his
58 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
halter off his head, and mounted, by a very nar-
row pair of stairs, mto the hayloft, above the
stable. Having performed this unheard-of feat,
the floor gave way under his weight, and he fell
partly through the loft, his body hanging over
one of the beams, his legs through the boards,
and his head down into the rack. In the violent
struggles which he made to escape, he cut and
bruised himself so dreadfully, that when released,
his condition was most distressing.
“¢<¢ The horse had finished his ration of hay,
and it is very clear, from every circumstance,
that he had mounted up into the loft, with a
design of serving a second course into the rack,
for the accommodation of himself and his asso-
ciates of the stable.†So says the narrator of
the story, Boys; but I am not quite so well
satisfied as he seems to be, that its motive for
this daring feat was other than a selfish one.
That the horse possesses much ingenuity is un-
doubted. For example, in a recent work of Lord
Brougham’s, he tells of a horse which gained
THE HUNTER. 59
admittance to a certain pasture, by pressing
down the upright bar of the latch of a wicket,
exactly as would have been done by a man;
and I have heard of a hunter belonging to a
gentleman in Leeds, which, after havmg been
kept in the stable for some time, and being
turned out into the field, where there was a
pump well furnished with water, regularly
obtained a supply from it by his own dexterity.
For this purpose, he was observed to take the
handle into his mouth, and work it in a way
exactly similar to that done by the hand of a
man, until a sufficiency of water was collected in
the trough.â€
“That was very singular, indeed, Uncle
Thomas.â€
“Tn telling you about the hunter, Boys, I
have so far confined myself to stories of his
sagacity and docility ; but, before leaving him,
T must tell you something about his speed, as
well as about the other qualifications which fit
him for the hunting-field.â€
60 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
“In a hunter, the power of leaping is an
essential qualification, in consequence of the
numerous obstacles which the inclosures of a
cultivated country oppose to their progress. Of
all the breeds of hunters, those of Ireland are
the most famous leapers. I have a story to tell
you about the leaping of an Irish hunter, but,
for a particular reason, I pass it by at present.
Here is an instance of the power of leaping,
which some of those animals possess :—
“ A horse belonging to a dealer in Birming-
ham made a leap of such an extraordinary cha-
racter, as caused the gentleman who witnessed
it to make an accurate measurement of the space
over which it passed. It was found, that in
leaping over a bar three feet six inches high, the
spring was taken at the amazing distance of
seventeen feet seven inches from it, and the
whole space of ground passed over was zie
yards and eight inches! The horse was fifteen
and a half hands high, and carried upwards of
twelve stone. He afterwards leaped over the
THE HUNTER. 61
same bar several times, and cleared upwards of
eight yards without much apparent effort.â€
“Twenty-four feet, Uncle Thomas! â€â€™
“Yes, Frank. His first leap I believe to be
unequalled; at least I never heard of one so
great. The only one which I know of that
comes at all near it is that of a horse belong-
ing to a gentleman at Limerick, which leaped
twenty-six feet m length, clearing at the same
time a hedge upwards of four feet high.
‘‘ These are, perhaps, the most astonishing
leaps ever undertaken voluntarily; there have
been some leaps even more singular, but they
may be more properly classed as escapes, than
feats of power. Here is an instance :—
“In April, 1828, a grey mare, belonging to
Mr. Lawson, of-Larrington, near Barnardcastle,
being at Durham fair for sale, a person wishing
to purchase her agreed with Mr. Lawson’s ser-
vant to ride her a little on the road between
Durham and Sunderland Bridge, by way of
trial; and while doing so, the mare being in
62 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
high condition, ran away with him, at so furious
a rate, that on coming to the end of Sunderland
Bridge, she was not able to make the sharp turn
to go along the bridge, but leaped over the bat-
tlements, and both rider and mare were preci-
pitated into the river on the west side of the
bridge; and what is most unaccountable to
relate, both escaped with scarcely any injury.
The height of the bridge may be guessed from
the fact that vessels of four hundred tons burden
sail under it, by striking their top-gallant masts
only.â€
‘“‘ How very singular, Uncle Thomas.â€
‘“‘T have one or two stories of the same de-
scription, Boys, which are the more striking,
because they ulustrate the ever-watchful care of
God over his creatures. Before I proceed with
them, however, I must tell you of an extraordi-
nary leap, which was made by a horse which
had managed to escape from the groom who
had charge of him, in a seaport town in the
west of Scotland. Finding itself at liberty, it
THE HUNTER. 63
ran with all its speed in the direction of a dry
dock, and, being unable to restrain itself when
it came to the edge it leaped down, and lighted
on all-fours, on the flags with which the dock
was paved, a height of thirty-four feet. After
trotting about for some time on the bottom of
the dock, it again ascended, by means of the
very steep stairs by which it was surrounded.â€
“T wonder it was not injured by the hard
flag-stones, Uncle Thomas.â€â€™
“ It certainly was a surprising escape, Frank.
A very remarkable instance of the escape of a
horse and its rider, under circumstances similar
to those I told you of a few minutes ago, oc-
curred some years since. A young gentleman
riding between Ravenglass and Whitehaven, on
a spirited blood horse, passed a chaise which
caused the animal to take fright. It bolted off
at full gallop, and coming upon Egremont
Bridge (the middle of the battlements of which
presents nearly a right angle to the entrance
upon it), was going with such fury, that, unable
64 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
to retrieve himself, he leaped sidelong upon the
battlements, which are upwards of four feet
high. The rider seemmg it imipossible to recover
his horse, and the improbability of saving either
of their lives had he floundered over head fore-
most, had presence of mind to strike him on
both sides with his spurs, and force him to take
a clear leap. Owing to this precaution he
alighted upon his feet, and the rider firmly kept
his seat, till reaching the bottom he leaped off.
When it is considered that the height of the
bridge is upwards of twenty feet and a half to
the top of the battlements, and that there was
not one foot depth of water in the bed of the
river where they alighted, it is really wonderful
that they were not both struck dead on the
spot. Yet neither the horse nor its rider were
disabled from immediately pursuing their jour-
ney.
“‘ An incident of the same kind occurred to
the celebrated Lord Herbert, which he tells in
these words:—‘ I will tell one more history
THE HUNTER. 65
of a horse, which I bought of my cousin
Fowler, of the Grange, because it is memorable.
I was passing over a bridge, not far from Cole-
brook, which had no barrier on the one side,
and a hole in the bridge not far from the middle!
My horse, though lusty, yet being very timorous,
and seeing besides but very little in the right
eye, started so much at the hole, that, upon a
sudden, he had put half his body lengthwise
over the side of the bridge, and was ready to
fall into the river with his fore-feet and hinder-
foot on the right side, when I, foreseeing the
danger I was in if I fell down, clapped my left
foot, together with the stirrup and spur, flat-
length the left side, and so made him leap upon
all-fours into the river, where, after some three
or four plunges, he brought me to land.’ â€
‘These were very fortunate escapes, indeed,
Uncle Thomas.â€
“T have now pretty well exhausted my
stories about the hunter, Harry, and must stop
for the present; but I must not forget the one
F
66 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
of the Irish groom, which I promised to tell
you.
“Two grooms, drinking at a public-house
door, one of them, who was mounted upon his
master’s hunter, which he had brought out for
exercise, boasted of its superior power of leap-
ing, when the other betted that the horse could
not clear a neighbouring wall. The height,
viewed from the horse’s back, was tremendous ;
nevertheless, full to the brim with Irish mettle
and whiskey, Patrick offered the leap to his
horse standing. After a little hesitation, the
horse reluctantly refused the leap; on which
the irritated rider, turning about, and canter-
ing to a considerable distance, turned it again,
and with his riding switch cutting it about the
ears, ran it at the wall. The generous horse
would not refuse a second time, but made a
desperate leap, and, being incapable of overtop-
ping such an altitude, his fore-feet struck against
the summit; yet the violence of his exertion
carrying him over, he came to the ground on
THE HUNTER. 67
his head and fore-quarters, and broke both his
fore-legs in the fall: yet the fellow escaped
with only a few contusions. Owing to the ab-
sence of his proprietor, the poor animal was
kept several days in torture before he was
shot !â€â€™
“ That was very barbarous, indeed, Uncle
Thomas.â€
“ Good night, Boys! I am glad you feel the
cruelty of the groom, and hope you will take a
lesson by it never to task a generous animal
above his capacity.â€
“ Good night, Uncle Thomas !â€
68
CHAPTER V.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY FEATS OF THE
COACH-HORSE, AND ABOUT THE SPIRIT AND COURAGE OF THE
CHARGER.
“ Goop evening, Boys! you are come just in
time. I have been admiring this nice little
picture of the coach-horse in his trappings.â€
“ He seems to be a fine spirited animal,
Uncle Thomas.â€
« That I am sure he is, Frank, and equal, I
dare say, to some of the best feats recorded of
his race.â€
“ Have you any stories about the coach-horse,
Uncle Thomas ?â€â€™
“ Very few, Harry, and these principally
about its speed and endurance. Such exertions,
too, have mostly been made in consequence of
TY Se
an
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oands te
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COACH - HO!
THE COACH-HORSE. 69
bets. For mstance, m the year 1822, a gentle-
man, named Houlston, made a match for fifty
guineas, to drive tandem fifteen miles in one
hour, and to trot the first seven miles. The
horses did the first four mules in eighteen minutes
and twenty-two seconds, and the-other three
in fourteen minutes eight seconds, leaving twenty-
seven minutes for the eight miles’ gallop. The
horses did the eighth mile in three minutes
ten seconds, the next four in thirteen minutes
twelve seconds, and the remaining three miles
in ten minutes and fifty seconds, winning the
match by eighteen seconds. It was esteemed
by sportsmen a beautiful performance; and the
pacing of the horses at the gallop was a great
treat.
“ Here is another. In the same year Mr.
Ambrose undertook to drive, ata trot, fifteen
miles in one hour. The match took place over
a piece of turf of three miles on the Epping
road, for a stake of five hundred sovereigns.
The referees decided, with a third person as
70 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
umpire, that it was won by rather more than a
second. The horse broke into a gallop in the
last mile, and was turned.
But perhaps the most extraordinary achieve-
ment of the kind, Boys, was one undertaken by
a gentleman named Giles, namely, to drive a
favourite mare twenty-eight miles mm two hours.
The performance accordingly took place on Sun-
bury Common, and was won with the greatest
ease, in less than one hour and _ fifty-eight
minutes. The fame of the match, which was
eagerly watched by many thousands of spec-
tators, reached the Continent, and a gentleman
from the Netherlands came to England ex-
pressly for the purpose of purchasing the mare,
which he did, as well as the light and elegant
carriage in which she performed the match, at a
high price.
“ T know very well, Boys, that these stories
do not interest you so much as some that I have
told you, so I will now take leave of the coach-
horse, and tell you something about the horse
THE COACH-HORSE. vai
which is generally used as a charger; but I
first must read to you an epitaph on a favourite
coach-horse, which is erected at Goathurst, near
Bridgewater, in Somersetshire, the seat of Sir
Charles Tynne, Bart. One likes to see the ser-
vices of a faithful and generous animal thus
appreciated. The tomb is decorated with the
various trappings and accoutrements with which
the favourite was commonly arrayed; and in
the centre is the following ingenious inscrip-
tion :—
“**'To the memory of one who was remarkably steady, these
stones are erected. What he undertook, with spirit he accom-
plished: his deportment was graceful, nay, noble; the ladies ad-
mired and followed him ; by application, he gained applause. His
abilities were so powerful, as to draw easily the divine, the lawyer,
and the statesman into his own smooth track. Had he lived in
the days of Charles I., the cavaliers would not have refused
his assistance; for, to the reins of due government he was always
obedient. He was always a favourite, yet at all times he felt the
wanton lash of lawless power. After a life of laborious servi-
tude, performed, like Clarendon’s, with unimpeached fidelity, he,
like that great man, was turned out of employment, stript of his
trappings, without place or pension: yet, being endued with a
generous, forgiving temper, saint-like, not dreading futurity, he
72 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
placidly met the hand appointed to be his assassin. Thus he died
—an example to all mortals under the wide expanded canopy of
Heaven.’
‘““T will now, Boys, tell you some stories
about the Charger; which is not, however, a
distinct breed of horses, but springs from the
same stock as the hunter and the coach-horse ;
indeed, the qualities required for the charger
and the hunter are pretty much the same. Like
the hunter, he enters into the spirit of the field,
and,
** * ‘When he hears from far
The sprightly trumpets and the shouts of war,
Pricks up his ears, and, trembling with delight,
Shifts place, and paws, and hopes the promised fight.
On his right shoulder his thick mane reclined,
Ruffles at speed, and dances in the wind:
Sudden he stops; then, starting with a bound,
He turns the turf, and shakes the solid ground ;
Fire from his eyes, clouds from his nostrils flow,
He bears his rider headlong on the foe.’
‘““ A very curious illustration of the force of
habit in well-trained troop-horses, occurred in
the case of those of a dragoon regiment, that
had been sent to grass in the West Riding of
THE CHARGER. 73
Yorkshire. One hot summer day, a tremen-
dous thunder-storm came on, when the horses,
occupying a large enclosure, were observed to
collect in a body, and, afterwards, ‘form im a
line, with as much regularity and exactness as
when exercised on a field-day ; and, whilst the
‘thunder rolled its awful burden to the wind,’
and the lightning glared on every side, main-
tained their position during the continuance of
the storm, exhibiting one of the most magni-
ficent spectacles the mind can well conceive.â€
“Did they mistake it for a battle, Uncle
Thomas ?â€â€™
‘No doubt of it, Harry. Some of these
old campaigners are the most knowing animals
imaginable.
“ During the late war, a regiment of cavalry
was ordered to embark from Plymouth Dock
for the Peninsula. Amongst the horses was an
old campaigner, which had been, it was said,
more than once on the same errand, and ap-
peared to have made up his mind zoz zo go on
74 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
foreign service. In pursuance of this deter-
mination, he resisted, with all his might, every
attempt to slmg him on board the ship, kicking
and plunging so furiously, that the men em-
ployed at length gave up the attempt in despair.
A resolute fellow of a sailor, seeing how the
matter stood, came forward, vowing he would
conquer him, and instantly grasped the horse
round the neck, with the design of fixing the
necessary apparatus: Jack, however, reckoned
without his host; the horse, by a sudden
plunge, shook him off, and, turning his heels,
gave him a severe kick, which laid him sprawl-
ing on the pavement, galloped off, and, after
making a circle round the assembled crowd,
returned to the spot where his antagonist lay,
and fairly hurled him into the water, whence he
was picked up by the crew of a boat which hap-
pened to be at hand.
“When no longer able for active service, it
is astonishing how long he retains his love for
the duties to which he has been accustomed.
THE CHARGER. 15
The poet Rogers, in the ‘ Pleasures of Memory,’
notices this :-—
«© ¢ And when the drum beats briskly im the gale,
The war-worn courser charges at the sound,
And with young vigour wheels the pasture ground.’
But I can give you one or two practical exam-
ples, which I am sure will amuse you.
“ Towards the end of last century, a farmer
in Ireland bought, at a sale of cast-off horses, an
old troop horse which was unfit for regimental
service. ‘The animal being quiet, the farmer,
who lived in the neighbourhood of Dublin,
mounted his daughter on it, and sent her to
town with milk. She unluckily arrived at the
Exchange at the time when the soldiers were
relieving guard. The horse, hearing the music
to which he had been accustomed, became
ungovernable by his fair rider, and, trotting,
snuffing, and snorting, bolted into the Castle
Yard, with his rider and her milkpails, and
took its place in the midst of the ranks, to the
no small amusement of all present.â€
76 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
“That was very droll, Uncle Thomas !â€
‘¢ Another instance, somewhat of the same
kind, occurred in the neighbourhood of Edin-
burgh. Some squadrons of the Scots Greys
being out for exercise, the trumpets were ordered
to sound a halt, when a horse which was drag-
ging a cart of sand happened to be passing,
pricked up his ears, gave a loud neigh, and
rushed into the middle of one of the troops,
where he quietly took up his station, to the no
small annoyance of those in his immediate
neighbourhood. The unfortunate carter was
immediately assailed by the adjutant for his
carelessness ; but the poor man protested that
he could not help it, as the horse had made an
instantaneous bolt from him, dragging the halter
out of his hands. He informed the adjutant,
that he supposed his horse had taken the troops
in question for some old comrades, as he had,
about two years before, bought him at a sale of
cast dragoon horses.
“There is another story, Boys, which also
THE CHARGER. "7
shows how lasting is the impression which the
word of command makes upon the mind of the
animal :—
“ A gentleman riding on a strong, spirited
horse, passed a pedestrian on the slope of the
Downs, at Brighton, at nearly full speed. The
horse had formerly been a charger in the 10th
Royal Hussars, and the pedestrian, who had
known him when attached to that regiment,
instantly recognised him. In a loud and au-
thoritative tone, as the horse dashed by him, he
vociferated the commanding word ‘ Harr! It
was a mandate to which the animal had been
trained, and he had not forgotten it. ‘The check
it produced was as sudden as unexpected; the
rider, completely unprepared for such a shock,
was thrown over the horse’s head, and alighted
on his back some yards in advance; as good
fortune would have it, without receiving any
material injury.â€
“That was rather a dangerous experiment,
Uncle Thomas, was it not ?â€â€™
78 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
“ It was so, indeed, Frank, and might have
been productive of the most serious conse-
quences. I will conclude my account of the
charger, by reading to you the epitaph on Sir
Ralph Abercromby’s charger, which is buried
in the garden, under the south-west gallery at
Marsa, near Floriand, in the island of Malta.
“¢ ¢ Alas, poor General !
Thy toils and broils, and scenes of war are o’er ;
Alas, thou sleep’st to wake no more!’
“ ¢ Here lies the celebrated charger of the late Lieutenant-General
Sir Ralph Abercromby, who was killed at the memorable battle of
Alexandria, 21st March, 1801, where this noble animal received, on
that glorious day, seven musket-balls and two sabre cuts, when he
afterwards became the property of John Watson, of Malta, who
placed this stone over his remains, in token of his rare services,
peculiar qualities, high spirit, and good temper. |
“
12th, 1823, aged 36 years.
** ¢ Sua cuique voluptas. â€
79
CHAPTER VI.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE HACKNEY, OR ROADSTER.
“THERE is another horse, which differs so little
from the charger, or the coach-horse, that I
think it as well to proceed with the few stories
I have to tell about him at once. The horse to
which I refer 1s called the hackney, or roadster,
and is generally used by persons who travel on
horseback.â€
‘‘ T know the horse you mean very well, Uncle
Thomas; we frequently see gentlemen riding
them on the highway.â€
“T am glad you know them so well, Boys,
as it will save me the trouble of describing it to
you, which I confess would be rather a difficult
task.
“When hackneys have been long accustomed
80 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
to the road, they sometimes become the most
knowing animals imaginable. Here is an ac-
count of one, which I lately saw in a Scotch
newspaper.
“«A friend of ours,’ says the editor of the
Dumfries Courier, ‘ who travels a good deal in
the course of the year, visiting in his rounds
many out of the way corners, where inns and
milestones are alike scarce, has a mare that
follows him like a pet dog, and fares very much
as he does himself. Her name is Jess, and
when a feed of corn is difficult to be got at, she
can make shift to breakfast, dine, or sup, on oat
or barley-cakes, seasoned with a slice from the
gudewife’s cheese. Though her staple beverage
is drawn from the pump-trough, the crystal
well, or the running brook, she can tipple at
times as well as her betters, particularly when
the weather is either sultry and oppressively
hot, or disagreeably raw and cold. In the
warm days she prefers something cooling, and
very lately we had the honour of treating her to
THE HACKNEY. Sl]
a bottle of ale. The liquor, when decanted,
was approached mm a moment, and swallowed
without the intervention of a breath. For some
miles its effects were visible in the increased
speed and spirits of the animal; and we are
informed that the same thing takes place when
the cordial is changed in winter to a gill of
whiskey! The latter, of course, 1s diluted
in water, several per cents. below the proper
strength of seamen’s grog ; and her master 1s of
opinion, that a little spirits, timeously applied,
is as useful a preservative against cold in the
case of a horse as of a human being. Our
friend’s system is certainly peculiar, but his
mare thrives well under it; and we will be
bold to say, that a roadster more sleek, safe,
and docile is not to be found in the whole
country.â€
«'That is very singular, Uncle Thomas. |
never heard of a horse eating bread and cheese
and. drinking ale before.â€
“T dare say not, Harry; it is not a very
G
82 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
common accomplishment in ahorse. ‘They are
fond of good living, however, as well as their
‘ betters,’ as the editor says. A gentleman in
the north of Ireland hada horse, which used to
disengage his head from the halter, then to open
the door of the stable, and go out, in the middle
of the night only (when no doubt he reckoned
himself most secure from detection), and re-
gale himself on corn in a field at a considerable
distance from the stable. He always returned
to his stall before the break of day, and con-
tinued this practice for some time without being
detected. He adroitly opened the door, by
drawing a string fastened to the latch, with his
teeth; and it is said that, on returning to the
stable, he again shut the door. But I rather
think, Boys, this fact must be accounted for in
some other way.â€
“How do you think it was done, Uncle
Thomas ?â€â€™
“JT have no doubt, John, that he undid the
fastening of the door in the manner described ;
THE HACKNEY. &3
but on his return, I dare say it swung back of
itself after he had forced it open, without his
troubling himself about it.â€
“ Do you recollect John Gilpin’s famous gal-
lop, John ?â€
“ Oh, yes! Uncle Thomas.â€
«“ Well, here it is on a small scale, and
scarcely less laughable than the expedition of
the worthy cit. A gentleman in the neigh-
bourhood of Chester, having occasion to send
his servant to that town on horseback, it hap-
pened that a glazier, who had been mending
some windows at his house, asked the servant
to be permitted to ride behind him, to which he
assented. No sooner was he mounted, than the
horse, alarmed by the rattling noise made by
the glass which the glazier carried, started off
at full speed, and, coming to the lodge-gate,
which was five feet six mches high, and spiked
on the top, though he had never before been
known to leap, he cleared it at once; and, won-
derful to say, neither of his riders (although it
84 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
was the glazier’s first appearance on horseback)
was thrown from his seat, nor received any injury
from their perilous expedition.â€
“[ dare say they were both pretty well
frightened, Uncle Thomas.â€â€™
‘“‘ More frightened than hurt, it appears, John.
One of the good qualities of the roadster consists
in a very retentive memory, which enables him
to find out places where he, has once been, of
which I can give you a very striking instance :—
‘A gentleman, on one occasion, rode a young
horse, which he had bred, to a distance of thirty
miles from home, and to a part of the country
where he had never before been. The road
was a cross one, and extremely difficult to find;
however, by dint of perseverance and inquiry,
he at length reached his destination. Two years
afterwards, he had occasion to pursue the same
route. He was benighted three or four miles
from the end of his journey. The night was so
dark that he could scarcely see the horse’s head;
he had a black and dreary moor to pass, and
THE HACKNEY. 85
had lost all traces of his route, and was for some
time even uncertain whether heproceeded in
the proper direction. To add to his miseries,
the rain began to fall heavily. He now con-
templated the uncertamty of his situation :
‘ Here am I,’ said he to himself, ‘far from any
house, in the midst of a dreary waste, and I know
not. which way to direct my course. I have heard
much of the memory of the horse, and now is
the time to try it; it is my only hope.’ He
threw the reins on the horse’s neck, and, encou-
raging him to proceed, soon found himself safe
at the gate of his friend. It must be remarked,
that the horse could not possibly have been that
road with the exception of the time before-
mentioned, at two years distance, as no person
ever rode him but his master.â€
“That was very sagacious, Uncle Thomas.â€
‘“A short time ago, Boys, I told you about
a horse which used to escape from its stable at
night to steal corn. Here is one of more
open robbery. His owner was probably some
86 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
unprincipled person, who had trained him to
such evil courses :-—
“One of the constables of St. George’s in
the East, London, lately made a complaint before
the magistrates at Shadwell office, against a horse
for stealing hay. The complainant stated, that
the horse came regularly every night, of its own
accord, and without any attendant, to the coach-
stand im St. George’s, where he fully satisfied
his appetite, and then galloped away. He de-
fied the whole of the parish officers to appre-
hend him; for if they attempted to go near
while he was eating, he would throw up his
heels and kick at them in the most furious way,
or he ran at them, and if they did not get out of
his way, he would bite them. The constable,
therefore, thought it best to represent the case
to the magistrates.
““ One of the magistrates said, “‘ Well, Mr.
constable, if you should be annoyed again by
this animal in the execution of your duty, you
THE HACKNEY. 87
may apprehend him if you can, and bring him
before us to answer your complaints !â€
“ It must have been a very naughty animal,
Uncle Thomas.â€
“ So much for the influence of evil friends or
companions, Harry. You remember the pre-
cept, ‘ Evil communication corrupts good man-
ners. It holds true m the case of animals as
well as of mankind.
“ In a book which I lately read, [ founda
curious account of a gentleman who travelled
over a great part of the world on a hackney: as
he seems to have been somewhat of an original,
I will give you a short account of him if you
please.
“The gentleman, whose name was Wilson,
was a native of Cornwall, and inherited an
estate of about one thousand pounds a year in
that county. In the year 1741, when he was
twenty-three years of age, he set off for the Con-
tinent on his travels, riding on horseback, accom-
85 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
panied by one servant. He first visited every
European country, in doing which he spent eight
years. He then embarked for America; was
two years in the northern part, and three more
in South America, travelling as a Spaniard,
which he was enabled to do, from the extreme
facility with which he spoke the language.
The delightful climate and luxuriance of Peru
enchanted him so much that he hired a farm,
and resided nearly a year on it. He next visited
the East: he passed successively through all the
territories in Africa to the South of the Mediter-
ranean, Egypt, Syria, etc., and all the dominions
of the Grand Seignior; passed twice through
Persia, once through the northern, and once
through the southern provinces; over India,
Hindostan, and part of Siam and Pegu; and
made several excursions to the boundaries of
China. On his return he stopped at the Cape
of Good Hope; penetrated far into Africa from
that quarter; and, on his return to the Cape,
took the opportunity of a ship sailing to Batavia,
THE HACKNEY. 89
and visited most of the islands in the Great
Indian Archipelago. Returning to Europe, he
landed at Cadiz, and passed in a straight line
from that place to Moscow, in his way to Kams-
chatka. Soon after this period, however, all
trace of him was lost. He was in correspond-
ence with several Cornish gentlemen, so late as
the year 1783, when he was supposed to be
preparing to set out for Siberia. A gentleman,
who saw him at Moscow in that year, repre-
sented him as healthy, vigorous, and in all
respects as hearty as other people at forty-six,
though he was in his sixty-sixth year. He was
never heard of after that period, and is supposed.
either to have died suddenly, or to have settled
in some remote corner of the world, whence
intelligence was difficult to be conveyed.â€
“« T should have liked to have been his com-
panion in his wanderings, Uncle Thomas.â€
“ T know no horse that would have carried
you better, Frank, than a good hackney; but I
must tell you something about the speed for
90 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
which some of them have been very remarkable,
especially in trotting, which is the peculiar pace
of the roadster. Perhaps the most celebrated
trotter was a mare named Phenomena, which was
bred in Norfolk, by Sir Edward Astley. When
twelve years old, she was matched by her owner
to trot seventeen miles within one hour, which
she performed on the road between Cambridge
and Huntingdon, in fifty-three minutes, a feat un-
heard of in the annals of trotting. So surprising
did this seem that the fairness of the match
was doubted by many; and very large bets were
offered that she would not again do the same
distance in the same time. The challenge was
accepted, and, within a month after her former
amazing performance, she again trotted the seven-
teen miles, to the astonishment of the assembled
spectators, a few seconds under fifty-three mi-
nutes! Very heavy bets were depending on
this match.
“Prior to her last performance, she was
matched to trct nineteen miles within the hour,
THE HACKNEY. 9]
for a bet of two hundred guineas to one hundred ;
but, on her winning the match with such ease,
the opposite party thought proper to forfeit. Her
owner then offered to trot her nineteen miles and a
half in one hour ; but no one would venture to take
up the match, in consequence of its being proved,
by several stop-watches, that, during her last
performance, she trotted four miles im less than
eleven mmutes. This alarmed the sportsmen,
who one and all declared that she literally flew,
and were of opinion that she could trot twenty
miles within the hour! observing, they would
have nothing more to do with her.
‘‘ From hard labour and other causes, this
most extraordinary animal became so reduced,
m every respect, that, in 1810, she was ac-
tually offered for sale at the low price of seven
pounds !
“In February, 1811, when twenty-three years
old, she again trotted nine miles in twenty-eight
minutes and thirty seconds. Within six months
after this event, having then passed into other
92 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
hands, she won four extraordinary matches in
one day. After performing such Herculean
tasks, she became, in her twenty-sixth year, the
property of the late Sir R. C. Daniel, who, to his
credit be it spoken, succeeded in bringing her
into such high condition, that within a few
months, notwithstanding the hardships to which
she had been subjected, she still retained her
beautiful symmetry, and appeared fresh and
clean on her legs; convincing proofs of an
equally excellent stamina, strong constitution,
and good nursing.
‘This wonderful mare was about fourteen
hands three inches high; colour, dark brown,
and her near fetlock-joint white.â€
“¢ She must, indeed, have been a phenomenon,
Uncle Thomas.â€â€™
“Poor animal! her treatment seems to have
been what, I fear, is not at all uncommon—
overtasked so long as able and willing, and
neglected and ill-treated when no longer equal
to the unreasonable demands made upon her
THE HACKNEY. 93
exertions. How few there are, Boys, who make
it a matter of conscience to treat their animals
with unwearying kindness! and yet, how well
they repay this kindness I will show you, by
relating to you a story of a horse, which ought
properly to have come under consideration at
our last meeting, but which I then overlooked.
‘¢ A horse belonging to the military depot at
Woolwich had proved so unmanageable to the
rough-riders, that at length no one amongst
them durst venture to mount him. His mode
of throwing or dismounting his rider, consisted
in lying down and rolling over him, or by
crushing his leg against some wall er post. All
means to break him of these perilous tricks
proving unavailing, the animal was brought
before the commanding officer, with the cha-
racter of being ‘incurably’ vicious, and with
a recommendation, on that account, that he
should be ‘ cast,’ and sold out of his Majesty’s
service.
“ Colonel Quest, hearing of this, and knowing
94, STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
the horse to be thorough-bred, and one of the
best-actioned and cleverest horses in the regi-
ment, besought the commanding officer to per-
mit him to be transferred into the riding troop.
This was consented to, and the transfer was no
sooner accomplished, than Colonel Quest deter-
mined to pursue a system of management di-
rectly opposite to that which had been already
attempted. He had him led daily into the
riding-school—suffered no whip to be shown
to him while there, but patted him, and
tried to make him execute this and the other
little manoeuvre; and as often as he proved obe-
dient, rewarded him with a handful of corn or
beans, or a piece of bread, with which bribes his
pockets were invariably well supplied. In this
manner, and in no great distance of time, was
the rebel not only subdued and tamed, but ren-
dered so perfectly quiet, that a little child could
ride him. He became, at length, taught to
kneel down while his rider mounted, and to per-
form various evolutions, and dances, and tricks,
THE HACKNEY. 95
which no other horse in the school could be
brought to do. In fine, so great a favourite did
he become, that his master gave him the appel-
lation of ‘The Darling.’ â€â€™
26
CHAPTER VIL.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT CART-HORSES, AND DESCRIBES
SEVERAL OF THE PRINCIPAL VARIETIES.
«TaeRE is, Boys, another race of horses, or
rather, I should say, several other races of
horses, which are kept for the purpose of draw-
ing heavy burdens—for doing, m fact, the
drudgery of life—to which I must now intro-
duce you.
‘¢ Perhaps the finest breed of Cart-horses
is the large black horse, of which here is an
admirable representation, in his harness, ready,
at his master’s command, to put his shoulder to
the load.
«The black cart-horse, which is principally
bred in the midland counties of England, fur-
nishes those admirable teams which we see in
oe ae beeen
o
‘4
“3
RSE
a
HO
CART
BLACK
THE CART-HORSE. 97
coal-merchants’, brewers’, and other heavy carts
and waggons about London, where the im-
mense weight of the animal's body aids his
sreat strength to move the heaviest loads.
There have been instances in which a single
horse of this kind has drawn, for a short dis-
tance, the enormous weight of three tons, half
of which is known to be their ordinary draught.
“ From their immense size and power, these
horses are prized all over the world. Even in
the distant provinces of India, the native rulers
regard them with feelings of admiration. Ona
late occasion,;-when Lieutenant Burnes was sent
on a mission to appease the wrath of Runjeet
Singh, the chief of Lahore, dray-horses were
deemed the most acceptable present that could
be offered to that august personage. In that
part of India, they are known by the style and
title of English elephants; and Runject Singh
was so much delighted with the ponderous
brutes, that he addressed a letter to the Go-
vernor-General of India, expressing admiration
98 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
of the animals themselves, and stating, in the
true style of Kastern exaggeration, that the lustre.
of their ample shoes was so splendid, that the
moon had been puzzled whether it should or.
should not enter into competition with them,
and venture to shine after their arrival at
Lahore !â€â€™
“That was being very polite, indeed, Uncle
‘Thomas.â€â€™
“‘T have a few stories to tell you about the
black horse, Boys; but before doing so, I will
describe the other breeds to you.
“The next in importance are the Cleveland
bays, which are by some persons thought to be
the handsomest working horses in England.
They are clean, well-made animals, as well as
strong and active, and answer equally well for
the coach, team, or saddle. During the war,
they were much sought after for the use of the
cavalry regiments of the British army.
‘In the west of Scotland they breed a race
called the Clydesdale horse, which unites, in a
THE CART-HORSE. 99
great measure, the advantages of the black
horse and the Cleveland bay. It has, in some
degree, the size of the former, united to the
activity and energy of the latter. They are
very highly prized in Scotland, for their good
temper and general usefulness.
“The Suffolk Punch is another most useful
draught-horse, which is much used in the county
from which it takes its name, and the neigh-
bourhood. It is remarkably compact, firm,
strong, and good-winded, so that it can con-
tinue long at work.
“These are the principal breeds; but so
many crosses take place, that it is sometimes
impossible to distinguish the varieties. Do you
think you will remember them, John Pâ€â€™
“Ob yes, Uncle Thomas, I think I shall.
We are obliged to you for pointing out the dif-
ferent breeds; I really did not know there had
been so many varieties.â€
“‘T will now, Boys, tell you some stories
about these Cart-horses.
100 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
«An unparalleled instance of the power of a
horse, when assisted by art, was shown near
Croydon. ‘The Surrey iron railway being com-
pleted, and opened for the carriage of goods
from Wandsworth to Merstham, a bet was made
that a common horse could draw thirty-six tons
for six miles along the road, and that he should
draw this weight from a dead pull, as well as
turn it round the occasional windings of the
road.
«A number of gentlemen assembled near
Merstham to witness this extraordinary per-
formance. ‘Twelve waggons loaded with stones,
each waggon weighing about three tons, were
chained together, and a horse, taken promis-
cuously from the timber cart of Mr. Harwood,
was yoked into the team. He started from near
the Fox public-house, and drew the immense
chain of waggons, with apparent ease, to near the
turnpike at Croydon, a distance of six miles, in
one hour and forty-one minutes, which is nearly
THE CART-HORSE. 101
at the rate of four miles an hour. In the
course of this time he was stopped four times, to
show that it was not by the impetus of the de-
scent the power was acquired. After each stop-
page, a chain of four waggons was added to the
cavalcade, with which the same horse again set
off with undiminished power. And, still farther
to show the effect of the railway in facilitating
motion, the attending workmen, to the number
of about fifty, were directed to mount the
waggons ; still the horse proceeded without the
least distress; and, in truth, there appeared to
be scarcely any limitation to the power of his_
draught. After the trial, the waggons were taken
to the weighing machine, and it appeared that
the whole weight which he had dragged with so
much ease weighed upwards of fifty-five tons!â€
‘That was an extraordinary load, indeed,
Uncle Thomas ! â€â€™
“It was so, Frank. But there are several
stories illustrative of the sagacity of the horse,
102 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
which I have to tell you, which I think will in-
terest you quite as much. Here is one of ‘ Old
Tommy ’°—
‘There was an old horse, well known in the
pretty village of Rainford, and even for many
miles round, by the name of ‘Old Tommy.’
This horse was famed, not merely for his great
age, and long and valuable services, but more
especially for the tractableness of his disposi-
tion. His sagacity was particularly shown on
an occasion, when he lost one of his shoes in
the pasture: being aware of his loss, and know-
ing, from long experience, the comfort of good
shoes, he lost no time, on the opening of the
gate, in repairmg to his old friend, the black-
smith, who soon discovered and supplied his
want. He then made the best of his way
home, and prepared for the service of the day.
It need not be added, that he was a great
favourite with his master, who valued him very
highly, on account of his sagacity and long
service.â€
THE CART-HORSE. 103
“That was excellent, Uncle Thomas. ‘To
what age do horses generally live Pâ€â€™
‘That, Harry, depends greatly on the treat-
ment which they receive, and on the amount of
labour which they are forced to undergo. I
will tell you about one or two very aged horses
by-and-by; but there is another instance of
sagacity which I must first tell you of.
‘“‘ A horse belonging to a person in Glasgow
had been several times ill, and as often cured by
a farrier who lived at a short distance from his
master’s residence. He had not, however, been
troubled with a recurrence of his disease for a
considerable time, till one morning, when he
happened to be employed at some distance from
the farrier’s workshop. Arranged in a row with
other horses engaged in the same work, while
the carters were absent he left the cart, and, un-
attended, went direct to the farrier’s door. As
no one appeared with the horse, the farrier im-
mediately surmised that he had been seized with
his old complaint. He was soon convinced of
104 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
this by the animal lying down, and showing, bv
every means of which he was capable, that he
was in distress. The farrier quickly adminis-
tered the usual dose, and sent him home to his
master, who had by that time sent persons in all
directions in search of him.
‘“ Now, Harry, to answer your question re-
garding the age to which cart-horses attain :-—
‘‘ Some years ago, there was, at Warrington,
a horse which had attained the great age of
sixty-two vears, an age at which it is supposed
no other horse ever arrived in modern times.
When we take into account that Billy was a
cart-horse, and accustomed to hard labour all
his life, his case is certainly most extraordinary.
Billy belonged to the Mersey and Irwell Navi-
gation Company, and more than half his life
had been spent in towing boats; his sight was
still good, and he possessed the use of his limbs
in tolerable perfection; his colour was of a
chestnut dun, and he was scarcely fifteen hands
high. He grazed in summer on the luxuriant
THE CART-HORSE. 105
pasture of the banks of the Mersey, and in
winter was taken into stable, and fed on mashes
and soft food. On his death, the head of this
horse was presented, by the proprietors of the
Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company, to the
Natural History Society of Manchester, in whose
museum it still remains.
‘“‘ Here is another instance :—
“In the year 1828, there was in the posses-
sion of a farmer in Scotland, a horse which
had attained the age of thirty-eight years, and
which continued strong and active. He was
four years old when he was purchased by the
farmer, so that he acted the part of a faithful
servant thirty-four years. He ate his corn and
hay readily, was in good condition, and seemed
to retain his sight unimpaired. As a proof of
his strength and activity, it may be mentioned,
that the farm on which he lived contains one
hundred and twenty acres, all the ploughing on
which was in the year preceding performed by
this old favourite ard another horse, without
106 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
assistance. It rarely happens, however, that cart-
horses are fit for work after arriving at the age
of twenty-four years.
‘“ We might learn wisdom from the horse,
Boys, if we chose, as you will see in the story |
am going to tell you about his diligence and
punctuality. It is one related by Captain
Brown :—
“In the spring of 1829, when the plough-
man from whom I had the story was engaged
in harrowing, a relative of his, who had been
long abroad as a sergeant in the army, returned
home, his purse well stored with cash. During
his stay in the neighbourhood, he had a par-
ticular pleasure in regaling his old comrades,
and seldom failed to send them home tipsy.
Our hero, who had the care of a pair of beau-
tiful Clydesdale horses, on returning home one
evening quite tipsy, went, as usual, before going
to bed, to supper his horses, and give them a
drink. For the latter purpose, it was his prac-
tice to let them loose, when they went by them-
THE CART-HORSE. 107
selves to a running stream hard by, and after
quenching their thirst returned to the stable.
On the evening in question, it would appear
John had forgot either to tie them up or to shut
the stable door. Next morning, the dissipation
of the previous night had made him so sleepy,
that he couid not get up till two hours later
than his usual time. On going to the stable, he
found the door open, one of the steeds gone,
and the other standing loose in his stall. He
searched everywhere in vain for the absent
horse; at length he met a boy who told him,
that about half-past six o’clock he observed one,
without halter or attendant, going into a certain
field. The man, overjoyed at his information,
hastened thither, and, to his surprise, found the
strayed animal standing in a ploughed field, by
the side of the harrows, from which he had un-
yoked him the preceding evening.
“‘ Horses, Boys, among their other good qua-
lities, are famed for their memory. I have
already told you several stories illustrative of
108 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
this; but there is one of the cart-horse, which I
cannot omit.
‘A person passing along the streets of Bris-
tol recognised a horse, bestrode by a countryman,
to be one which he himself had lost about nine
months before. He at once seized his property,
and put in his claim: ‘This is my horse,’ said
he, ‘and I will prove it in two minutes, or quit
my claim.’ He then caused the countryman to
dismount, liberated the horse from restraint, let
him go at large, and declared his proof to be,
that the horse would be found at his stables,
which were at some distance—a fact that was
proved, in a few minutes, by the two claimants
and’ several bystanders repairing to the stables,
where they found the horse ‘ quite at home.’
‘There is one breed of cart-horses, Boys, of
which I must tell you before I conclude—what
is called the common cart-horse, which you fre-
quently see employed in the cart or plough.
He is a much inferior animal to the black
horse, both m size and strength; his form 1s
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THE CART-HORSE. 109
heavy, his motions slow, and his aspect without
sprightliness. Here is a picture of him, which
is certainly far from a flattering one. Rough
and ungraceful as he there appears, however,
Boys, he is a very valuable servant, and though
unequal to the heavy work performed by some
of his more showy brethren, the farmer finds
him better adapted for light soils and the com-
mon occupations of every-day life.
‘« To-morrow evening, Boys, I will tell you
about the Ponies, of which there are several
kinds, but for the present, I must bid you good-
bye.â€
‘“* Good-bye, Uncle Thomas.â€â€™
110
CHAPTER VIII.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE PONY, PARTICULARLY ABOUT
THE SHELTIE OR SHETLAND PONY; AND ABOUT THE PONIES
OF EXMOOR FOREST.
‘* Goop evening, Uncle Thomas; you see we
never forget our appointment with you.â€â€™
“ So I perceive, Frank; and by way of a
treat to you, I mean this evening to tell you
about Ponies; I shall begin with the Shetland
ponies, but, first of all, can you tell me where
Shetland is, from which those little creatures
derive their name ? â€â€™
* On the northern coast of Scotland, Uncle
Thomas.â€
“ Right, Frank! Well, the ponies, though
they are called Shetland, are to be found in all
the islands on the north and west of Scotland,
THE SHETLAND PONY. lll
and also on the mountainous districts of the
mainland, round the coast. They are called
garrons by the Highlanders, and are found of
all colours. They are beautitully-formed little
creatures; their heads small and their limbs fine ;
their manes and tails long and flowing. They
are in general from seven and a half to nine and
a half hands in height, and are prodigiously
strong in proportion to their size. One, nine
hands in height, has been known to carry a
man, weighing twelve stone, forty miles in a
day. ‘They are high-spirited and tractable little
creatures, and in the places I have mentioned,
are suffered to run wild about the mountains.â€
“Indeed! Uncle Thomas; and how are they
caught when they are wanted?â€
“Various modes are adopted, Frank, ac-
cording to the nature of the ground. ‘Some-
times the wild Highlandmen—men almost as
wild as the animals they chase—hunt them into
a bog, where, sinking at every step, they are
soon captured. In other places they are forced
112 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
to ascend the steepest hills, and their pursuers
seize them by the hind legs, when from the vio-
lence of their struggles to escape, and the deter-
mined hold of their captor, both frequently
tumble down together.â€
“ Thatis very rough work, Uncle Thomas.â€
«There are various other ways, Boys, for
taking these ponies, when they are wanted for
breaking. Sometimes they are hunted from
height to height by successive pursuers, until,
overcome by fatigue and want of breath, they
are unable to proceed, and lie down and suffer
themselves to be taken. Sometimes, however,
they are not captured at all, but driven in large
herds to the lowlands in an unbroken state, to
be sold at some of the great fairs.
“To show you how docile the little creatures
are, I can tell you a curious story of one which
was placed in a situation in which I dare say
no horse ever was before :—
“ A gentleman having been presented with
one of these handsome little animals, which
THE SHETLAND PONY. 113
measured only seven hands in height, was
anxious to convey his present home as speedily
as possible; but, being at a considerable dis-
tance, he was at a loss how to do so most
easily. The friend who presented it said,
*Can’t you carry him in your chaise?’ The
experiment was made, the sheltie was lifted
into the bottom of the gig, and covered up with
the apron, and some bits of bread were given
him to keep him quiet. ‘The docile little crea-
ture lay quite peaceably till the gentleman
reached his destination; thus exhibiting the
novel spectacle of a horse riding in a gig.â€
“A horse ‘riding in a gig, Uncle ‘Thomas!
Ha, ha! that was very singular indeed.â€
“Hardly less singular, Frank, was an inci-
dent which took place with a messenger, who
was employed some years ago, by the Laird of
Coll, to ride post, upon a Shetland pony, from
the Highlands to Glasgow and Edinburgh, the
ordinary weight carried being fourteen stone.
Being stopped at a toll-bar in his way, the man
I
114 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
good-humouredly asked the toll-keeper whe-
ther he should be required to pay toll if he
passed on foot, carrying a burden; and being
answered in the negative, he took up the horse
and bags in his arms and carried them through
the bar to the great amusement of the spec-
tators.â€â€™
‘‘He was a very little post-horse, I think,
Uncle Thomas, and I fear would not get over
the ground very fast.â€
“In those times, Frank, travelling post was
not such a rapid affair as it is now; but I dare
say the little pony moved faster than you ima-
gine. For instance, a Shetland pony, eleven
hands high, and carrying five stone, was once
matched, for one hundred guineas, to run from
Norwich to Yarmouth, and back again, a dis-
tance of forty-four miles. Great as the distance
was, he performed it with ease, in three hours
and forty-five minutes; perhaps the greatest
feat ever done by a horse of his height.
«“ But the little Shetlander, besides his
THE SHETLAND PONY. 115
strength and speed, has other qualities to re-
commend him :—
“A young girl, the daughter of a gentleman
in Warwickshire, playing on the banks of a
river which runs through his grounds, had the
misfortune to fall into the water, and would in
all probability have been drowned, had not a
little pony, which had long been kept in the
family, plunged into the stream, and brought
the child safely ashore, without the shghtest
injury.â€
“That was delightful, Uncle Thomas, He
seems to be almost as sagacious as the dog.â€
“In an old York newspaper there is an ac-
count of a Shetland pony, Boys, which seems
to have been quite a wonder in its way. I will
read it to you, if you please :—
‘“¢There is at present (October, 1790), in a
village to the south of Haddington, a very small
black pony -of the Shetland breed, which was
foaled m the year 1743, and in the year 1745
was rode at the battle of Prestonpans, by a
116 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
young gentleman, who afterwards sold it to a
farmer near Dunbar, from whom it came to the
present proprietor. This pony, which is now
forty-seven years of age, looks remarkably fresh,
and can trot above eight miles an hour, for se-
veral hours together; has a very good set of
teeth ; eats corn and hay well; is able to goa
long journey; and has not undergone the least
alteration whatever, either in appearance or in
power, for these twenty years past.’ â€
“He must have been a tough old pony,
Uncle Thomas. Do the Shelties generally at-
tain so great an age?â€
‘No, Frank, I do not think they are longer-
lived than their more bulky brethren. In their
case, as well as the others, individuals have
been known to attain to very great ages. One
is said to have died a few years ago, at Wigton,
in Scotland, in his fortieth year. He belonged
to an innkeeper, and till about twelve months
before his death, he was considered one of the
best hacks in the district.â€
THE EXMOOR PONY. 117
** What sort of ponies are those of Exmoor,
Uncle Thomas? I heard a gentleman lately
speak very highly of them.â€
“The Exmoor ponies, Frank, are very
hardy creatures, though they are far from being
pretty: on the contrary, they are rather ugly,
ul-made animals; but they are very useful, and
are almost untiring.
“Tam sorry I cannot give you a very de-
tailed account of these animals, but a gentleman
who on one occasion rode one of them for five
or six miles, declared that he never saw such
astonishing power and action in so small a
compass. On another occasion the owner of
this animal travelled from Bristol to South
Molton on him, a distance of eighty-six miles.
He started from Bristol at the same time as
the coach which runs that way, and beat it
by half an hour. The same pony once gave
evidence of his surprising agility, by leaping
over a gate at least eight inches higher than his
back.â€
118 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
“ That was a good leap, Uncle Thomas.â€â€™
* Capital! Frank. But I must bid you
good night; I have a visit to make to-night,
and promised to go early.â€â€™
“ Good night, Uncle Thomas!â€
119
CHAPTER IX.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE NEW FOREST AND DARTMOOR
PONTES, AS WELL AS ABOUT THE CEFFAL OR WELSH PONY.
“ To-nieHt, Boys, I will go on with my ac-
count of the Ponies, which I was obliged to
leave unfinished last evening. Here is an en-
graving of the Forester, a race of Ponies which
runs wild in the New Forest, Dorsetshire.â€
“ T do not like him half so much as this other
one of the Shetland Pony (see Frontispiece),
Uncle Thomas.â€
“IT dare say not. Harry; it is far from being
so handsome an animal as the Sheltie; but it is
almost, if not quite, as useful. They are found
in large numbers in the extensive domain of the
New Forest, and though they run about ina
state of wildness, they are all private property.
120 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
In the summer season they may be seen in herds
of a score or two, feeding like deer in the glades
of the forest. When wanted, their colts are
either hunted down by men on horseback, or
caught by stratagem. As they are very hardy,
they are useful for all kinds of labour.
“In Devonshire there is another breed of
ponies, which are celebrated and much sought
after, on account of their sure-footedness : they
are very hardy, extremely nimble, and well-
suited to the barren tracts and mountainous
roads around Dartmoor, whence they take their
name. ‘The best account [ have seen of
these ponies is the one which I will now read
to you :—
“ The size of this variety 1s somewhat larger
than that of the Exmoor breed; they are even
more ugly, being ill-groomed, and having little
attention paid to them. They present a very
picturesque appearance, with their long ragged
hair, some inches in length, under the jaws.
«A gentleman, on one occasion, being de-
THE DARTMOOR POXY. 12]
sirous of possessing himself of one of the Dart-
moor ponies that was running wild amongst the
herd, and which had a better appearance than
his fellows, for the purpose of securing it, got
the assistance of several men, who succeeded in
separating this individual from the rest. They
drove it among some rocks, by the side of a
pointed hill, called in that district a for. One
of the men followed the pony on_ horseback,
while the gentleman stood in the low grounds,
watching the progress of the chase. The poor
animal, being driven into a corner, and seeing
no prospect of escape, made a desperate leap,
fairly cleared the man on horseback, and flew
with such precipitation down the hill, that he
distanced his pursuers, and again joined his
companions.
‘In that picturesque and beautiful district,
many of the farmers are without even a single
cart or car, the whole produce of the farm, and
manure, being carried on panniers, on ponies’
backs. Sometimes, in harvest, oxen are used
122 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
to drag their crops on sledges, this, however, is
not very common. ‘They also use what they
term crooks, for carrying light articles on horse-
back. They are formed of willow poles, about
an inch and a half in thickness, bent in the man-
ner of an ox-bow, with one end considerably
longer than the other; these are joined by a
pair of cross-bars, from eighteen inches to
two feet long. Hach horse has two pair of
them, slung to him so that the shorter ends
rest against the pack-saddle, and the longer
ones stand four or five feet from each other,
and rise from fifteen to eighteen inches above
the horse’s back. The loads are piled within and
between these crooks.
“This is all I know about the Dartmoor
ponies, Boys, so I proceed to tell you of another
race, called Welsh ponies.
** The ponies of Wales seem to be an original
and unmixed breed. They are much esteemed
for the neatness and beauty of their forms, for
the nimbleness of their motions, and, above
"AN Od
PSD Eh MK
THE WELSH PONY. 123
all, for being remarkably sure-footed on the
most difficult roads, which renders them ex-
tremely valuable in the mountainous tracts to
which they originally belong. In pomt of size
and hardiness, they bear a close resemblance to
the best of the native breed of the Highlands
of Scotland, and other hilly countries in the
north of Europe. These animals are almost
unequalled in their endurance of fatigue, and
prefer a hard pavement to a soft road. For
the singular property of keeping their footing
on the rocks, the Welsh ponies are hardly less
distinguished than the goat: and be the ascent
or descent ever so steep and rugged, if the
rider can maintain his seat, the pony is sure to
keep its footing. Indeed, im respect to firm-
ness of hoof, and skill in planting it, it is little,
if at all, inferior to the mules used in the
Andes.
* An amusing little anecdote, connected with
this power of moving with safety and expedi-
tion among its native rocks, is told of a Welsh
124. STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
gentleman, who came down from his native
Inlls, mounted on a ceffal, which is the Welsh
name for these ponies, to jom the train of one
of the kings of England. Corning in last on a
certain occasion, the king reproached him with
the slowness of his steed. This raised the vir-
tuous indignation of the Welshman, and he
replied, with more sincerity than courtly grace,
* Hur is as coot a shentleman as te pest, but her
ceffal is only a shentleman on te rock, and let
them try a riding there !’
“ Here is an interesting little story of the
sagacity of the Welsh pony :—
“‘ A favourite pony mare, belonging to a gen-
tleman in Montgomeryshire, had a colt which
erazed, with its mother, in a field adjoiming the
Severn. One day the pony hastily made its
appearance in front of the house, and pawed
with her feet, and made other noises, as if
to attract attention. Observing this, a person
went out, when she immediately galloped off.
Her owner desired that she should be fol-
THE WELSH PONY. 125
lowed, and all the gates from the house to
the field were forced open. On reaching the
field, the pony was found looking into the
river, over the spot where the colt was found
drowned.â€
‘“* Poor.creature! What a pity the poor colt
was drowned, Uncle 'lhomas! â€
‘There is one other story about the Welsh
pony, Boys, which shows almost equal saga-
city :—
“« A gentleman, on one occasion, mounted on
a favourite old shooting pony, had beaten for
game all day, without meeting with any success,
when, on a sudden, to his great astonishment,
his pony stopped short, and could not be per-
suaded to move, either by dint of whip or spur.
The gentleman accordingly desired his game.
keeper to go forward to ascertain what was the
matter, when the pony immediately drew after
him ; that is, followed him in the same manner
that a pointer advances upon game. The keeper
soon started a covey of partridges, and fired, and
126 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
killed his bird. As the pony was an old stager,
his master having been accustomed to ride him
in his shooting excursions for many years, it
is supposed that he had, from long expe-
rience, acquired a knowledge of the scent of the
birds.
“These are nearly all the stories which I
remember of the pony, Boys; but there is
another little horse which slightly excels some
of them in size, of which [ must tell you before
we proceed to something else—the Galloway I
mean :—
«This useful anima! takes its name—or, I
should rather say, took its name, for the breed
is said now to be extremely rare, John—from a
district m Scotland, whence it was originally
derived. It is a stout, compact, little horse, and
is celebrated for its speed, and steadiness on the
road. Here is an account of him by a writer
on agriculture, who spoke of its excellencies
from practical experience. Will you read it for
us, John ?â€
THE GALLOWAY. 127
“ Tf you please, Uncle Thomas.â€
‘“« There was once a breed of small elegant
horses in Scotland similar to that of Ireland
and Sweden, and which were known by the
name of Galloways, the best of which sometimes
reached the height of fourteen hands and a half.
One of this description I possessed, it having
been bought for my use when a boy. In point
of elegance and shape, it was a perfect picture ;
and in disposition it was gentle and compliant.
It moved almost with a wish, and never tired.
I rode this little creature for twenty-five years,
and twice, in that time, I rode one hundred and
fifty miles at a stretch, without stopping, except
to bait, and that not for above an hour at a time.
It came in at the last stage with as much ease
and alacrity as it travelled the first. I could
have undertaken to have performed, on this
beast when it was in its prime, sixty miles
a day for a twelvemonth running, without any
extraordinary exertion.’ â€
“That was an extraordinary animal, Uncle
128 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
Thomas. 1 wonder that the breed was no
more esteemed.â€
“ Some of the feats recorded of the Galloway,
Frank, show him to have been a most valuable
animal. In 1814, one started from London along
with the Exeter mail, and, notwithstanding the
numerous changes of horses, and the very rapid
driving, he reached Exeter a quarter of an hour
before it; thus performing the astonishing dis-
tance of one hundred and seventy-two miles, at
an average of about nme miles an hour. The
cruel experiment was, however, fatal to the
future energy of this hardy creature, which, with
good treatment might have been long an in-
valuable servant. ‘Twelve months after this
astonishing feat, he was seen in a distressing
state of disease, exhibiting a picture of the
utmost wretchedness, brought on by the bar-
barous inhumanity of man.â€
“¢ How very cruel, Uncle Thomas
*‘ Nothing can be more so, Boys; and I hope
the stories of inhumanity which I have from
}>?
THE GALLOWAY. 139
time to time told you, will make a deep impres-
sion on your minds, and induce you to treat
such animals as come under your power with
kindness and consideration. i will interrupt,
for a moment, the stories I have to tell you of
the performances of the Galloway, to introduce
one of its kindness, which will show you what
a good-tempered creature it is, and bow improper
it is to treat it im the way of which | have just
told you :—
“A blacksmith in one of the remote parishes
of Scotland, on one occasion, purchased a lamb
of the black-faced breed, from an individual
passing with a large flock. It was so extremely
wild, that it was with great difficulty it could be
separated from its fleecy companions. He put
it mto his field, m company with a cow and a
little white Galloway. It soon began to exhibit
indications of fondness for the pony, which, not
insensible to such tender approaches, showed
by its conduct that the attachment was re-
ciprocal. They soon became inseparable com-
K
130 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
panions; whether the pony was engaged in the
labours of the field, or in bearing his master to
church or market, the lamb was his invariable
attendant. Such a spectacle soon excited a
great deal of attention; and, when likely to
be too closely beset, the lamb would take
refuge between the pony’s legs, with looks of
conscious security. At night it regularly re-
paired to the stable, and reposed under the
manger, at the head of its favourite. When
separated, which only happened when effected
by force, the lamb would raise the most plain-
tive bleatings, to which the pony responded with
a sympathismg neigh. On one occasion they
both strayed into an adjoining field, in which
there was a flock of sheep; the lamb joined
them, at a short distance from the pony, but, as
soon as their owner removed him, it quickly fol-
lowed, without casting ‘ one longing, lingering
look behind.’ Another imstance of the same
description happened when the pony was ridden
through a flock of sheep, accompanied,.as usual,
THE GALLOWAY. 131
by his friend, which followed, without showing
the least inclination to remain with its natural
companions.â€
« That was delightful, Uncle Thomas.â€
«To return to the equestrian feats of this
active little animal. In the year 1802, a Gal-
loway was matched to run, over Sunbury Com-
mon, one hundred miles in twelve successive
hours. The match was won easily, in eleven
hours, thirty-six minutes.
‘¢ Another match, still more surprising, was
performed at Newmarket, by one which went
over one hundred miles a day for three succes-
sive days. It did its work easily, and at the
conclusion did not seem at all distressed.
‘One more, Boys, and [ have done. About
the middle of last century, Sir Charles Turner,
of Berkleatham, made a match with the Duke
of Queensberry, the former undertaking to
ride ten miles within the hour, in the course
of which he was to take thirty leaps, each
leap to be one yard, one quarter, and seven
132 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
inches high. It was for four thousand guineas
aside. Sir Charles performed it, mounted on
a Galloway, in less than forty-seven minutes,
to the astonishment of every person present.â€
133
CHAPTER X.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT BREEDS OF
ASIATIC HORSES, INCLUDING THE TARTAR, TOORKOMAN, AND
CALMUCK VARIETIES.
“ Havine finished, Boys, all that I have to tell
you about the principal breeds of Horses which
we have in Britain, I must now proceed to de-
scribe to you the various foreign races. Would
you like to hear about them, Frank ?â€
* Oh yes, Uncle 'Thomas.â€â€™
*“* Well, the first of which I shall speak are
the Tartar horses, of which there seem to be
several distinct races; but, for the present, we
will confine our attention to those which are
found wild in the deserts of Independent Tar-
tary, between Persia and the Caspian Sea.
Though possessed of great speed, they are said
134 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
to be clumsy, ill-made animals. They are gene-
rally of a mouse-colour, and the hair with which
they are covered is thick and strong, having
more the appearance of wool than that of the
horses of any other country. Their manes are
short and bushy. ‘They are very timid, taking
alarm at the least noise, and darting off with the
greatest precipitation. They form themselves.
into herds, and each herd is headed by one of
the boldest and strongest males, who directs
their movements; and so completely are they
under his control, that if he is killed or dis-
abled, the herd separates, and becomes an easy
prey to their pursuers. When they are cap-
tured they are extremely difficult to tame, and
cannot be mounted for a length of time without
danger. So great, indeed, is their aversion to
servitude, that they not unfrequently die in the
second year of their captivity.
“ The inhabitants of these Tartarian deserts
are wandering pastoral tribes, who lead an un-
settled life, removing from place to place, as the
THE TARTAR HORSE. 135
pasturage for their flocks becomes exhausted. To
them the horse stands in the place of the ox to
other people. They feed on its flesh, and of the
milk of their mares they make cheese, as well as
consume it in a fresh state; from it also, they
possess the art of extracting a fermented liquor,
which possesses a strong power of intoxication.
It is only the feeble and ill-made animals, how-
ever, which they kill for food. When, on a
journey, a Tartar is attacked by the cravings of
hunger or thirst, he opens a vein of the horse
on which he rides, and solaces himself with a
draught of its blood.â€
‘Ts not that very cruel, Uncle Thomas ?â€
‘It is a practice which I cannot justify,
Harry; but you must not look for very refined
feelings among those rude sons of the desert.
“ Baron de Tott, in his Memoirs, gives a
curious account of the manner in which he was
entertained in one of their encampments :——
“
a vessel full of mare’s milk, a small bag of the
136 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
flour of roasted millet, some white balls, about
as big as an egg and as hard as chalk, an iron
kettle, and a young man, tolerably well dressed,
the best cook of the horde. I carefully watched
his proceedings. He first filled his kettle three
parts full of water, putting in about two pints;
to this he added about six ounces of his meal.
His vessel he placed upon the fire, drew a
spatula from his pocket, wiped it upon his
sleeve, and stirred the liquid till it began to
simmer. He then took one of the white balls
(they were cheese made of mare’s milk, saturated
with salt, and dried), broke it in little bits,
threw them into his ragout, and again began
to stir, His mess thickened, he still stirring,
though at last with effort, till it became of the
consistence of dough. He then drew out the
spatula, put it again into his pocket, and, turn-
ing out the contents of his kettle, by reversing
it in his hand, presented me with a cylinder of
paste in a spiral form. I was in haste to eat it,
and was really better pleased with this ragout
THE TARTAR HORSE. 137
than I had expected. I likewise tasted the
mare’s milk, which, perhaps, I should have found
equally good, could I have divested myself of
prejudice.’
“Though the prejudices of the Baron would
not allow him to relish the mare’s milk, Boys,
it is very nutritious. From it the 'Tartars make
a fermented liquor, which, for want of a better
appellation, I shall call by the name by which it
is known among themseives—Koumiss.â€â€™
“Can you tell us how it is made, Uncle
Thomas? It seems very strange to make a fer-
mented liquor from milk.â€
“IT believe I can, Frank. They collect a
quantity of fresh milk, the produce of one day,
and add to it a sixth part of water, pouring the
whole into a wooden vessel. A small por-
tion of old koumiss is added, to cause fer-
mentation. The vessel is then covered with a
thick cloth, and set in a place of moderate
warmth. At the end of twenty-four hours the
milk becomes sour, and a thick scum gathers
138 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
on the top. The whole is then carefully stirred
or beaten, till it is mtimately blended, when it
is again suffered to remaim at rest for twenty-
four hours. It is then poured into a narrower
vessel, and the agitation is again repeated.
When this is done sufficiently the operation is
completed, and it is ready for use. As the
thick particles separate themselves and fall to
the bottom, it has to be well shaken before it 1s
used.â€
“Tt seems a simple enough process, Uncle
Thomas.â€
“‘ Situated as these people are, Boys, 1t must
of necessity have simplicity to recommend it.
Its nutritious qualities, which are said to be
very great, must of course arise from the inhe-
rent properties of the milk. As an instance of
its powerful medicinal qualities, it 1s said that
a nobleman, who laboured under a complication
of diseases, went, by advice of his physician,
into Tartary, for the purpose of testing its
efficacy. When he set out, he was so weak,
THE TARTAR HORSE. 139
that. he required to be assisted into his carriage,
but after drinking koumiss for the short space
of six weeks only, he returned home, free from
disease, and so plump and fresh-coloured, that
at first sight his friends failed to recognise him.
“ It is from this that they distil the intoxi-
cating hquor of which [ told you. Dr. Clarke,
in his ‘Travels in Russia,’ gives an account
of the manner in which this operation is per-
formed :—
“* « A subsequent process of distillation after-
wards obtains an ardent spirit from the koumiss.
We brought away a quart-bottle of it, and con-
sidered it very weak bad brandy, not unlike the
common spirit distilled by the Swedes, and other
northern nations. Some of their women were
busy making it in an adjoining tent. The sim-
plicity of the operation, and of the machinery,
was very characteristic of the antiquity of this
chemical process. Their still was constructed
of mud, or very coarse clay; and, for the neck
of the retort, they employed a cane. The re-
140 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
ceiver of the still was entirely covered by a
coating of wet clay. ‘The brandy had already
passed over, The woman who had the ma-
nagement of the distillery, wishing to give us a
taste of the spirit, thrust a stick, with a small
tuft of camel’s hair at its end, through the ex-
ternal covering of clay; and thus collecting a
small quantity of the brandy, she drew out the
stick, dropped a portion upon the retort, and
waving the instrument above her head, scattered
the remaining liquor in the air. I asked the
meaning of this ceremony, and was answered,
that it is a religious custom, to give always the
first drop of the brandy which they draw from
the receiver to their god. The stick was then
plunged into the receiver a second time, when
more brandy adhering to the camel’s hair, she
squeezed it into the palm of her dirty hand,
and having tasted the liquor, presented it to
our lips.’â€
“ That was very nasty, Uncle Thomas
“We must not expect, Harry, the same
177
THE TOORKOMAN HORSE. 14t
feelings of refinement to exist in two states of
society so different as that of the civilized inha-
bitants of Europe and the half-savage Asiatics.
But we must confine our attention to their
horses at present.
‘‘'To the north of the Caspian Sea there is
another race of horses which have been long
famed. ‘They are called Toorkomans. They
are generally from fifteen to sixteen hands high,
with long bodies and large heads, and are far
from pleasing in the eyes of an Englishman;
but they are capable of undergoing the greatest
fatigue, and the distance to which they are
sometimes forced to travel by the plundering
hordes of Tartars to which they belong, is truly
astonishing.
“* Sir John Malcolm, one of the best autho-
rities on subjects connected with Persia and the
neighbouring countries, speaking of these Toor-
komans, says—‘ There are probably no horses in
the world that can endure so much fatioue. |
ascertained, after the minutest examination of
149 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
the fact, that those small parties of Toorkomans
who ventured several hundred miles into Persia,
used both to advance and retreat at the average
of nearly one hundred miles a day. They train
their horses for these expeditions as we should
do for a race; and the expression they use to
describe a horse in condition for a foray is, that
his flesh is marble.
“<« We are assured, Sir John continues,
‘from authority we cannot doubt, that parties
of twenty or thirty ’oorkoman horse often ven-
ture within sight of the city of Isfahan. They
expect success in these incursions, from the sud-
denness of their attack, and the uncommon ac-
tivity and strength of the horses on which they
ride. Their sole object is plunder; and when
they arrive at an unprotected village, the youth
of both sexes are seized, and tied on led horses
(which the Toorkomans take with them for the
purpose of carrying their booty), and hurried
away into a distant captivity, with a speed
which generally baffles all pursuit. When I
THE TOORKOMAN HORSE. 148
was in Persia, in 1806, a horseman, mounted
upon a Toorkoman horse, brought a packet of
letters from Shiraz to Teherary, which is a dis-
tance of five hundred miles, within six days.’ â€
« That is astonishing, Uncle Thomas.â€
“ Equally astonishing, Frank, is the Tartar
mode of treating a horse when on one of their
excursions. Before proceeding on a foray, they
kneed a number of small hard balls of barley-
meal, which, when wanted, they soak in water ;
and this serves as food to both themselves and
their horses. It is a frequent practice with
them, and indeed is common to all the Tartar
tribes, in crossing deserts where no water is to
be found, to open a vem in the shoulder of the
horse, and to drink a little of his blood ; which,
in their opinion, benefits rather than injures the
animal, while it refreshes the rider.â€
“ Surely that cannot be true, Uncle Tho-
mas Pâ€
“ It is rather a difficult matter to believe, I
confess, Frank, but when the same objection
144 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
was. made by some one to the Tartars them-
selves, he was answered by being shown se-
veral old horses, on which there were numerous
marks of their having been bled, and he was
assured that they had never been touched by
the lancet but on such an occasion.â€
“« ‘The next race of which I will speak is the
Calmuck, which, like the Tartar horse, is more
distinguished for its speed and endurance than
for its beauty. They are very early inured to
fatigue, as in all the expeditions undertaken by
these wild hordes, the foals are accustomed to
follow their dams, and with them are subject to
all the inclemency of the weather.
“ Dr. Clarke, from whose Travels I have
already read you several extracts, Boys, gives an
amusing account of the Calmuck riders :—
‘Calmuck women,’ says he, ‘ride better than
the men. A male Calmuck on horseback looks
as if he were intoxicated, and likely to fall off
every instant, though he never loses his seat;
but the women sit with more ease, and ride
THE CALMUCK HORSE. 145
with extraordinary skill. The ceremony of
marriage, among the Calmucks, is performed
on horseback.
rides off at full speed. Her lover pursues, and
if he overtakes her she becomes his wife, and
returns, with him to his tent. But it sometimes
happens that the woman does not wish to marry
the person by whom she is pursued, in which
case she will not suffer him to overtake her;
and we are assured that no instance occurs of a
Calmuck girl being thus caught, unless she has
a partiality for her pursuer.
“That is a very curious sort of marriage,
Uncle Thomas. Is the speed of those Calmucks
much greater than that of the English horse?â€
“In endurance, Harry, there is no compa-
rison between the English horses and the Cal-
mucks or Toorkomans, though, in one instance,
in which two of them were matched against two
English race-horses, they were fairly distanced.
‘A trial of this sort took place at St. Peters-
burgh, between certain horses of the Calmuck
L
146 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
breed and some of those of the best English
blood, in the year 1825. The distance was
forty-seven miles. A number of the best horses
from the Don, the Black Sea, and Ural, were
brought to compete with English racers. Many
trials were made of their powers, and the
fleetest and most enduring horses were selected.
‘There were two Cossack horses, which were
tried against two racers, named Sharper and
Mina. When they started, the Cossacks took
the lead, followed by the English horses, at
about two or three lengths’ distance. Before
they were halt a mile off, one of the stirrup-
leathers of Sharper broke, which startled him,
and he ran away with his rider, followed by
Mina; and it was not until they had gone more
than half a mile up a steep hill, that they could
be checked. ‘They accomplished half the dis-
tance in an hour and four minutes, Sharper and
Mina being then quite fresh; but only one of
the Cossacks was up. They were returning m
good style, when Mina fell lame, and discon-
THE COSSACK HORSE. 147
tinued the race. ‘The Cossack horse now began
to slacken his pace; the Russians commenced
dragging him on by the bridle; his saddle was
taken off and thrown aside, and a little boy
placed on his back. ‘The effects of running
away now began to tell on Sharper, and he
evidently laboured. But he had the decided
advantage of the other, which was dragged
along by the Cossacks by the bridle, with the
assistance of a rope, some pulling him along by
the tail, relieving one another by turns, while
others rode by his side to keep him up; but all
would not do, for Sharper gained the race by
eight minutes, having performed ‘the distance in
two hours and forty-eight minutes. The Eng-
lish horses at starting carried three stone more
than the Cossacks, which Sharper continued to
do, although the other was ridden by a child.
‘i am afraid there must have been some-
thing wrong, Boys, if this account is correct.
But we stop for the night. ‘l'o-morrow evening
I will tell you about some foreign European,
148 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
and about some American horses, of which I
have a few stories to tell you. I fear you have
not found the descriptions of the Asiatic horses
so interesting as I could have wished.â€
“Oh yes, Uncle Thomas, we have been very
much interested, indeed !â€â€™
“ Very well, Boys, good night.â€
“ Good night, Uncle Thomas !â€
149
CHAPTER XI.
UNCLE THOMAS TELUS OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT BREEDS OF
EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN HORSES.
*« To-nient, Boys, I mean to tell you about the
horses of some of the most northern European
nations, and will begin with those of Norway,
as they have, of late years, been so frequently
imported into this country. Did you ever see a
Norwegian pony, Frank ?â€
“ Oh yes, Uncle Thomas, we see a couple
of them very often, drawing a chaise along the
road; I admire them very much.â€
‘‘ ‘They are very hardy animals, braving, un-
hurt, the inclement seasons of Norway, and
feeding during the long winter on chopped
straw and hay, mixed with black bread. In
general, a pleasing kind of familiarity exists
150 STORIFS ABGUT HORSES.
between the Norwegians and their horses,
which they encourage by frequently feeding
them by hand.
“They are, ike the horses of most hilly
countries, remarkably sure-footed, and ascend
and descend steep and slippery places im safety.
When descending, they draw their hind-legs
together under them, in the same manner as the
mules of the Alps, and thus slide down. When
the steep is not sufficiently inclined or smooth
enough for this, they move with the greatest
caution and circumspection, first gently treading
on the stones with one foot, to try if they are
secure. If the rider, in a case of this sort,
leaves the matter to the horse, he is safe; but,
should he attempt to control him, he runs the
greatest risk of breaking his neck, by precipi-
tating both himself and his horse to the bottom.
“The mountain fastnesses of Norway afford
places of asylum for wolves and bears, both of
which are determined enemies to the horse. In
repelling the attacks of these animals, the Nor-
THE NORWEGIAN PONY. 151
wegian horse uses his fore-legs and teeth with
the greatest determination. Sometimes, how-
ever, the bear, which is a heavy, powerful
animal, closes with it, and seizes it by the legs,
which he grasps so vigorously as to defy the
horse’s utmost exertions to shake him off. In
this case, the animal gallops off with his enemy
hanging by him, and runs till, exhausted by
fatigue and loss of blood, he falls down and be-
comes its prey.â€
‘“‘T hope the Norwegian pony is not very
often attacked in this way, Uncle Thomas.â€
‘“‘T hope not, Harry, particularly as he is of
a very generous disposition, and affords as good
an instance of the exercise of reasoning powers
as is recorded of almost any other animal :—
‘A young Norwegian gentleman being one
day on a visit to a neighbouring town, was so
well entertained by some friends there, that in
returning home he felt his head too light for
him to keep a firm seat on his saddle. The
horse on which he was mounted seemed sen-
152 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
sible of this, and regulated his paces according
to the state of the rider; but on coming to a
steep ascent, where the road was slippery, on
account of some rain that had fallen, he was
unable to take such sure steps as before, and
the rider having thereby lost his balance, fell
from his saddle, with one foot hanging in the
stirrup. The horse immediately stopped, and
twisted its body in various directions, in order
to extricate its master; but in vain. At length,
atter having surveyed him for some time, as he
hung in this awkward situation, quite unable to
extricate himself, 1t stooped, and laying hold of
the brim of his master’s hat, raised his head a
little by it; but the hat slipping off, he fell to
the ground as before. The horse then laid
hold of the collar of his coat, and raised him:so
far from the ground, that he was enabled to
draw his foct out of the stirrup; and, being all
the while sensible of his dangerous situation,
he became somewhat sober, and got upon his
legs, mounted, and reached home in safety.
THE DANISH HORSE. 153
The horse, thereafter, was an especial favourite
of his master, who kept him till he died.â€
“ Tt certainly was an instance of great intel-
hgence, Uncle Thomas. I suppose the horses
of Denmark are of the same breed ?â€â€™
“Not exactly so, Frank; but there is no
great difference. ‘They are generally about fif-
teen hands high, and are very hardy. The
King of Denmark is said to have in his stud
upwards of eleven hundred horses. In the
museum at Copenhagen, Mr. Rae Wilson saw,
suspended from the ceiling, in the attitude of
flying, the skin of one of their most celebrated
steeds. Its history is this :-—
‘‘ In consequence of a bet entered into be-
tween Frederick the Fourth and Count Hax-
hausen, the former engaged that his footman
would run a certain distance at greater speed
than this horse, which had always been consi-
dered as remarkable for its fleetness. The dis-
tance chosen was from Copenhagen to Frede-
ricksberg, which is twenty English miles, and
154 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
the time allowed was forty-eight minutes. The
competition took place accordingly, and the man
was successful, having actually accomplished
this arduous task in one minute less than the
time fixed. Notwithstanding it may be con-
sidered impossible for any human being to
perform so great an undertaking, yet the fact
has been substantiated by unquestionable evi-
dence. So completely overpowered was the
poor fellow, however, that on his arrival in pre-
sence of the king, he took off his hat, to pay
respect to his Majesty, and imstantly dropped
down dead at his feet.â€
«Twenty miles in forty-eight minutes, Uncle
Thomas! That is twenty-five miles an hour.
Surely that cannot be correct ?â€â€™
“T tell the story, Frank, as Mr. Wilson
gives itin his ‘ Travels in Denmark.’
“* ¢ T know not how the truth may be,
IT tell the tale as ’twas told to me.’
“The Swedish horses, Boys, are a strong,
THE GERMAN HORSE. 155
hardy, active race of animals, almost untiring,
and living and thriving on the coarsest fare.
Their hoofs are firm, and they are very sure-
footed. They thus make excellent roadsters,
but as I know no stories relating to them, I
must leave them to tell you about the German
and Hungarian Horses.
“ In such an extensive and populous empire
as Germany, there are many varieties of horses.
The breed which generally prevailed, however,
in horses of the first class, was a large, heavy,
but noble-looking animal, with finely arched
neck and well-set head. It has, however, of
late years, been greatly improved by the intro-
duction of more active breeds, from various
countries. In Hungary, they have a light,
active, and spirited breed of troop-horses, which
attracted considerable attention during the wars,
from the activity and skill of the troops by
whom they were mounted; but in that country,
also, the native breeds have been improved by
foreign blood.
156 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
“The Hungarian gipsies are said to be the
most expert and unprincipled horse-dealers in
existence. ‘They very frequently resort to the
following trick to make the horse appear brisk,
lively, and active :—The rider alights at a short
distance from the place where he intends to
offer his horse for sale, and beats the poor beast
till he has put the whole of the muscular
system into motion with fright. When it ar-
rives at the place of destination, the mere act of
lifting the arm, exciting the remembrance of the
treatment it has suffered, causes the animal to
jump about or set off at full speed. The
buyer, ignorant of the discipline it has just
undergone, looks upon this as a sign of its
vivacity ; and, presuming that care and good
feeding will improve the horse’s appearance,
strikes a bargain, though the next day he pro-
bably discovers he has been imposed upon, the
poor creature hardly being able to move a leg.
In Swabia, and near the Rhine, the gipsies have
another device. They make an incision in
THE HUNGARIAN HORSE. 157
some concealed part cf the skin, through which
they blow till the animal looks plump and
fleshy, and then apply a strong adhesive plaster,
to prevent the escape of the air.â€
“ Can that be really true, Uncle Thomas?
It seems a piece of shocking cruelty.â€
‘‘ T should hope such deceptions and cruelties
are not much practised, Frank; indeed, it can-
not be supposed that these frauds have no ex-
ceptions, as, in that case, no one would deal
with gipsies; but as they always sell their
horses cheap, the temptation of the poor to deal
with them is too strong to be resisted. There
is another piece of trickery on the part of these
gipsies, of which I must tell you, before I pro«
ceed to relate to you some stories about these
horses. It is this :—In these parts the farmers
and other rural inhabitants are extremely super-
stitious, and are stanch believers in witchcraft
and other absurdities, which have long been
banished from the minds of more enlightened
nations. Of this the cunning gipsies take full
158 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
advantage, and when the farmers’ cattle are
feeding in the fields, they entice them to follow
them by presenting to them handfuls of fodder.
They then besmear the nose and mouth of the
animals with some preparation, which causes
them to loathe all kinds of food, as everything
smells of the nauseous mixture. In conse-
quence of this forced abstinence, the animal
soon pines away. Its owner, fully satisfied
that it is bewitched, calls in the assistance of
the gipsies, some of whom are of course easily
found. The exorcist 1s generally a woman.
She goes into the cow-house, and having ex-
cluded every one, and remaining for some time
in the pretended exercise of her charms, calls in
the farmer, and tells him of his cow’s recovery,
and as a proof shows it him eating heartily,
when she of course is amply rewarded. The
only charm which she exercises all the while is
to wash the animal’s nose and mouth clean from
the preparation with which she, or some of her
friends, has besmeared it, when, its sense of smell
THE HANOVERIAN HORSE. 159
bemg restored, the animal greedily devours its
food, after having so long suffered from hunger.
“ But [am forgetting that it is Stories of
Horses about which we are now engaged, so I
must leave the gipsies, to tell you of a very re-
markable instance of affection and intelligence
in some Hanoverian horses :—
“In the electorate of Hanover there is a
small island, named Kroutsand, which is sur-
rounded by two branches of the river Elbe. As
it affords valuable pasture, there is generally a
number of horses and cattle feeding upon it.
It is, however, liable to be overflowed at the
time of spring-tide, when the wind blows in a
direction opposite to the current, and thus
causing an accumulation of water which cannot
escape so quickly as when unopposed.
“‘ One day the water rose so rapidly, that the
horses, which were grazing in the plain with
their young foals, suddenly found themselves
standing in deep water, upon which they set up
a loud neighing, and collected themselves toge-
160 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
ther, on the highest part of the island. In this
assembly they seemed to determine on the fol-
lowing prudent measure, as the only means of
saving their young foals, who were now standing
in the water as high as the belly, and in the
execution of which some old mares also took a
principal part, who cannot be supposed to have
been influenced by any maternal solicitude for
the safety of their offspring. Every two horses
took a young foal between them, and, pressing
their sides together, kept it wedged in, and
lifted up, quite above the surface of the water.
«‘ All the horned cattle which were on the
island had already set themselves afloat, and
were swimming in regular columns towards
their home. But these noble steeds, with un-
daunted perseverance, remained immovable
under their cherished burdens for the space of
six hours, till, the tide ebbing, the water sub-
sided, and the foals were at length placed out
of danger.
“The inhabitants who had rowed to the
THE HANOVERIAN HORSE. 161
place in boats saw with delight this singular
manoeuvre, whereby their valuable foals were
preserved from a destruction otherwise inevi-
table, and every one who heard of the circum-
stance was much astonished and delighted at
the sagacity of the horses.â€
“ Delightful! Uncle Thomas. I[ like to
hear such stories as that.â€
«Such traits in the characters of animals
are certainly very pleasing, Boys, even when
their influence is confined to their fellow-brutes.
One hardly knows which most to admire, the
instinctive love of the mothers for their offspring,
or the sagacity which prompted them to take
the most effectual measures for their safety.
To show you how spirited and determined these
German horses are, I will tell you of an adven-
ture which happened during the ‘ Thirty Years’
War.’
“ During that destructive war, which, for a
space of thirty years, desolated Germany, and
which was terminated by the peace of West-
M
162 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
phalia, the carriers, who conducted the inland
traffic of the country used to unite themselves
in large companies, in order that they might
travel with greater security, and for their mutual
defence against the marauding parties, which
infested every part of the empire.
‘¢ One of these carriers happened to possess
a horse of an extremely vicious disposition. It
was greatly addicted to biting and kicking, from
which even its master was not always secure,
and which often embroiled him with his fel-
low-travellers. One evening, while they were
pursuing their journey, the party was attacked
in a ravine by a band of hungry wolves,
and, after a long contest, finding they should
not be able to get quit of them without allow-
ing them some prey, it was agreed that they
should pay the owner of the vicious horse the
price of the animal, and make a sacrifice of
him to the wolves. ‘The bargain was soon
concluded, and on the horse being turned
THE GERMAN HORSE. 163
loose, the wolves immediately attacked him. He,
however, defended himself courageously with his
teeth and heels, retreating at the same time into
the interior of the forest, while the carriers
availed themselves of the opportunity to hasten
on to a place of security, not a little rejoiced at
having got rid of troublesome companions so
much to their advantage.
“ As they were sitting at supper in the inn
where they usually stopped for the night, a
knocking was heard at the house door, and, on
its being opened, a horse pushed his head in.
The girl, frightened, shrieked out, and called
to the carriers, who, coming to her assistance,
were no less surprised than rejoiced to see the
heroic conqueror of the wolves, though much
wounded, yet still faithful to his master; and
on account of his meritorious conduct upon
this occasion they agreed to forgive him his
former misdemeanours, and retain him in their
company.â€
164 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
‘‘ He must, indeed, have been a determined
animal, Uncle Thomas, to overcome a whole
pack of wolves.â€
“YT have, Boys, pretty well exhausted my
stories about the horses of the Old World, and
must now say a few words about the American
horses; but, before doing so, I wish to direct
your attention to a curious story about the abo-
lition of torture in the examination of criminals
in Germany. It 1s true that the horse has not
much to do with the matter, but as it was one
of the instruments used in bringing about this
great and beneficial change, I think I may intro-
duce it here without much violence.
** A German judge having, in the exercise of
his duty, frequent opportunities of observing the
effect of the rack on supposed criminals, in
making them confess almost anything which it
was desired to extort from them, so as to be
released from the torture, even though the crime
which they pretended to confess involved the loss
of life, resolved to make it a subject of experiment.
THE GERMAN HORSE. 165
“In Germany it is a capital crime—that is,
a crime liable to the punishment of death—to
kill a horse, ass, or mule. He, accordingly, one
evening, after taking care that all his servants
should be busily employed, and that no one
should on that evening have access to the stable
except the groom, when all were asleep went
into the stable and cut off the tail from his
horse, in consequence of which the poor animal
bled to death. Great confusion, it may be sup-
posed, followed the discovery of the mischief.
In the morning, when the master was informed
of what had happened, he of course appeared
greatly incensed. Strict inquiries were insti-
tuted to ascertain who could have committed an
act of such atrocity, but without effect. It was
no difficult matter for the servants to exculpate
themselves, the groom only excepted, and he
was apprehended and committed to prison. The
poor fellow, upon his arraignment, it may be
supposed, pleaded not guilty; but the pre-
sumption being very strong against him, he was
166 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
ordered to the rack, where the extreme torture
soon wrung from him a confession of the crime
alleged, he choosing to submit to death rather
than endure the misery he was undergoing.
Upon this confession, the sentence of death was
passed upon him, when his master went to the
tribunal, and there exposed the fallibility of con-
fessions obtamed by such means, by owning the
fact himself, and disclosing his motives for the
experiment; since which time the practice of
applying the torture in any case has been dis-
continued in Germany.â€
‘That was a very admirable mode of ex-
posing its injustice, Uncle Thomas; but the
poor horse†—
‘“¢ Was sacrificed, Frank, by an enlightened
man, for the purpose of obtaining a greater
good. I dare say the judge felt keenly the
necessity of so cruelly injurmg the poor animal,
but you must bear in mind that it was neces-
sary to commit a capital crime, or the torture
THE AMERICAN HORSE. 167
would not have been inflicted, and his object
would thus have been defeated.
“‘T have already, Boys, told you about the
horses of South America, and the mode in which
they are captured. In North America they
have an infinite variety of horses, all of them
bearing more or less resemblance to those of
Britain. Indeed, the most celebrated horses
have descended from animals imported from this
country ; but they make rapid advances, and in a
few years they will doubtless be fully able to
compete with our English steeds.
‘¢ Tt will, under these circumstances, be un-
necessary for me to describe the different breeds.
I will, therefore, at once tell you two or three
stories of American horses, passing by altogether
their many racing achievements, which I am
aware have more interest to the jockey than to
any one else.
“‘ Here is an instance of persevering exertion
which is almost incredible. I tell it, however,
168 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
in the same way as I had it. It is contained in
a letter dated from Kingston, in Jamaica :—
“ A vessel which lately arrived here from
America, with a cargo of horses, etc., laboured
under such very bad weather and contrary winds
on her passage that the captain was reduced to
the necessity of lightenmg her, by ordering
some of the live stock to be thrown overboard.
Among them was a white horse, which, pos-
sessing more strength, courage, and agility than
his companions, actually buffeted the waves for
two days, kept company with the vessel through
a sea tremendously heavy, and at the expiration
of that time, the weather moderating, the animal
was taken on board and brought into port, where
he is now alive and doing well.â€
“Can that be really true, Uncle Thomas ?â€â€™
“T doubt it very much, Harry, and think
the time must have been greatly exaggerated.
T conceive it possible for him to have followed
the ship for some hours, but ‘ two days’ really
exceeds belief.
THE CANADIAN HORSE. 169
“In the neighbourhood of Boston, a few
years ago, an unfortunate affair took place,
arising from a horse’s resentment at being im-
posed on by his master :—
‘A person, residing in that neighbourhood,
was in the habit, whenever he wished to catch
his horse, to take into the field with him, as is
usual, a quantity of corn in a measure. On
calling to him, the horse would come up and
eat the corn, while the bridle was put over his
head. But the owner having deceived the ani-
mal several times, by calling him when he had
no corn in the measure, the horse at length
began to suspect the design, and coming up one
day, on being called, looked into the measure,
and seeing it empty, turned round, and with his
hind legs struck his master such a blow as
killed him on the spot.â€
“Poor fellow! that was very unfortunate,
Uncle Thomas !â€â€™
‘Very much so, Boys. The Canadian horse
is a hardy animal, remaining exposed to
170 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
the inclemencies of Canadian weather without
injury. In winter it acquires an increased
supply of hair, to protect it from the cold.
They are much used during this season for
‘sleighing,’ or dragging a sledge over the
snow and ice. In passing the rivers it is not
uncommon for sledge, horse, and riders to be at
once, and without warning, precipitated into
the water, the ice not bemg strong enough, in
some places, to bear their weight. In this case
the travellers instantly jump on the ice, which,
though unable to support their sledge and horse,
is sufficiently strong to bear themselves. As
soon as they gain their feet, their first operation
is to pull a rope, with a running noose, which
is always worn round the horse’s neck, and thus
to strangle them, and prevent their farther
struggles, which tend only to injure and sink
them. When this is accomplished, they rise in
the water, and float on one side, and are thus
drawn on the ice, when the rope being loosened
respiration returns, and they soon recover.
THE CANADIAN HORSE. 171
Sometimes this rough sort of treatment takes
place several times mm one day.â€
‘¢ T wonder that it does not kill them, Uncle
Thomas!â€
“The Canadians say, Frank, that horses
which are often on the Lakes get so accustomed
to it, that they think nothing of it. But I must
stop for the evening; it is now late; I have de-
tained you rather longer than usual to-night,
Boys, that I might finish what I had to say
about horses. To-morrow I will tell you about
Mules, as well as about the Ass and the Zebra,
all of which naturalists class along with
Horses.â€
« Good evening, Uncle Thomas !â€â€™
172
CHAPTER XIT.
UNCLE THOMAS TELLS ABOUT THE ASS, THE MULE, AND THE
ZEBRA; AND CONCLUDES HIS STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
‘“‘ HERE is a picture of the Ass, Boys, which I
think you will agree with me in admiring. I
don’t think I ever saw one which conveyed a
more perfect idea of the animal’s character—its
quiet and inoffensive manners, and the patience
with which it submits to a life of indignity and
suffering.â€
“Oh yes, Uncle Thomas, it is beautiful !
And the little colt, too, which it so kindly
fondles. I saw one exactly like it on the
common this morning !â€â€™
“The Ass, Boys, though in Britain the
humble slave of the poor, and doomed to a ne-
glect which he by no means deserves, in more
Dpatuy awe
sed oo
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THE ASS. 173
favourable climates, and under better treatment,
is a sprightly handsome creature. In Spain,
for instance, they are large, strong, and stately
animals, and are accordingly much more highly
esteemed than with us. Hes there the servant
of the great; and is accordingly well fed and
well treated; with us, he is on the contrary
condemned to the lowest servitude, and is not
only treated with indignity, but oftentimes expe-
riences all the misery of harsh and ill usage.
Naturally patient and persevering, they are
loaded with enormous burdens, or compelled to
drag the heaviest weights ; yet their constitution
is so hardy, that they are able to undergo even
this harsh treatment ; and even in the depth of
winter the most wretched hovel is sufficient
shelter from the cold; and so temperate are they
with respect to food, that they can subsist on
such vegetables as almost any other animal
would reject. The thistle and plantain, which
generally grow in abundance on waste lands,
and along the sides of roads, afford them a
174 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
sufficient feast after their day of toil is con-
cluded.
“Yet degraded and ill treated as the poor
Ass is, Boys, it is sensible of kindness, and
soon becomes attached to a kind and conside-
rate master :—
“ An old man, who some time ago sold
vegetables in London, had an Ass which
carried his baskets from door to door. He
frequently gave the poor industrious creature
a handful of hay, or some pieces of bread
or greens, by way of refreshment and reward.
The old man had no need of any goad for the
animal, and seldom indeed had he to lift up his
hand to drive it on. His kind treatment was
one day remarked to him, and he was asked
whether the beast was not apt to be stubborn.
‘Ah!’ he said, ‘it is of no use to be cruel; and
as for stubbornness I cannot complain, for he
is ready to do anything or go anywhere. [
bred him myself. He is sometimes skittish
and playful, and once ran away from me—you
THE ASS. 175
will hardly believe it, but there were more than
fifty people after him, attemptmg in vain to
stop him; yet he turned back of himself, and
never stopped till he ran his head kindly into
my bosom.’ â€
“ Oh delightful, Uncle Thomas! I had no
idea that the stupid-looking Ass could have
been so affectionate.â€
“ T dare say not, Frank. Over-worked and
Ul fed as you see him, yet patiently putting his
shoulder to the load, and even when doing his
best cruelly beaten and abused, it is not at all
to be wondered at that he so rarely displays his
better qualities; when properly treated, how-
ever, even in the matter of speed, his per-
formances are far from contemptible :—
“In the year 1826, a gentleman of Ipswich
undertook to drive an Ass m a light gig to
London and back again, a distance of one
hundred and forty miles, in a couple of days.
The animal went to London at a pace little
short of a good gig-horse, and fed at different
176 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
stages well; on his return he came in without
the aid of a whip, at the rate of seven miles in
an hour, and performed the whole journey
with ease.â€â€™
“ T was not aware that speed was one of the
characteristics of the Ass, Uncle Thomas.â€â€™
“In a wild state, John, they are remark-
ably swift. Indeed it is with the greatest
difficulty they are overtaken. A traveller in
India, who visited a region where they abound,
discovered several herds of them; amounting to
sixty or seventy. Anxious to obtain a nearer view
of them, he galloped. towards them ; but although
mounted on a horse of proved speed, he never
was able to approach them nearer than twenty
yards. Dull and unintelligent as the poor Ass
seems to be, he is far from being so in reality.—
A few years ago one was employed at Caris-
brook Castle, in the Isle of Wight, in drawing
water by a large wheel from a very deep well,
supposed to have been sunk by the Romans.
When his keeper wanted water, he would say
THE ASS. 177
to the ass, ‘Tom, my boy, I want water; get
into the wheel, my good lad;’ which Thomas
immediately performed, with an alacrity and
sagacity that would have done credit to a
nobler animal; he knew the precise number of
times necessary for the wheel to revolve upon
its axis to complete his labour; for, every time he
brought the bucket to the surface, he constantly
stopped and turned round his honest head
to observe the moment when his master laid
hold of the bucket to draw it towards him,
because he had then a nice evolution to make,
either to recede or advance a little. It was
pleasing to observe with what steadiness and
regularity the poor animal performed his
labour.
‘¢There is another story from an old writer
which shows how susceptible he is of training.
I dare say, Boys, you never heard of an Ass
acting on the stage before :—
‘‘ In a description of Africa, published about
the middle of the sixteenth century, there is an.
N
178 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
account of an Egyptian ass, which seems to
have done wonders in this way. The author
says, ‘ When the Mahometan worship is over,
the common people of Cairo resort to the part
of the suburbs called Bed-Elloch, to see the
exhibition of stage-plavers and mountebanks,
who teach camels, asses, and dogs to dance.
The dancing of the ass is diverting enough;
for, after he has frisked and capered about, his
master tells him, that the Soldan, meaning to
build a great palace, intends to employ all the
asses In carrying mortar, stones, and other
materials; upon which the ass falls down with
his heels upwards, closing his eyes, and extend-
ing his chest, as if he were dead. ‘This done,
the master begs some assistance of the company,
to make up the loss of the dead ass; and having
got all he can, he gives them to know that truly
his ass is not dead, but only being sensible of
his master’s necessity, played that trick to
procure some provender. He then commands
the ass to rise, who still lies in the same
THE ASS. 179
posture, notwithstanding all the blows he can
give him, till at last he proclaims, that by virtue
of an edict of the Soldan, all are bound to ride
out next day upon the comeliest asses they can
find, in order to see a triumphal show, and to
entertain their asses with oats and Nile water.
These words are no sooner pronounced, than
the ass starts up, prances, and leaps for joy.
The master then declares, that his ass has been
pitched upon by the warden of his street, to
carry his deformed and ugly wife; upon which
the ass lowers his ears, and limps with one of
his legs, as if he were lame. ‘The master,
alleging that his ass admires handsome women,
commands him to single out the prettiest lady
in company; and, accordingly, he makes his
choice, by going round, and touching one of the
prettiest with his head, to the great amusement
of the company.’ â€â€™
“How very curious, Uncle Thomas! An
ass is certainly the last animal I should have
expected to act in this way.â€
180 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
“ Without actual experiment, Boys, it is ex-
tremely difficult to predict how far the education
of any animal may be carried. Some of their
acts, which we call instinctive, are, however,
equally wonderful :—
‘In March, 1816, an ass belonging to Cap-
tain Dundas, R.N., then at Malta, was shipped
on board the Ister frigate, bound from Gibraltar
to that island. The vessel struck on a sand-bank,
off the Point de Gat, and the ass was unfortu-
nately thrown overboard, in the hope that it
might possibly be able to swim to land ; of which,
however, there seemed but little chance, for
the sea was running so high, that a boat which
left the ship was lost.
the gates of Gibraltar were opened in the morn-
ing, the guard was surprised to see Valiant, as the
ass was called, present himself for admittance.
On entering the town, he proceeded immediately
to the stable which he had formerly occupied.
The poor animal had not only swam safely on
shore, but, without guide or compass, had found
THE ASS. 18]
his way from Point de Gat to Gibraltar, a dis-
tance of more than two hundred miles, through
a mountainous and intricate country, mtersected
by streams, which he had never traversed he-
fore, and in so short a period, that he could
scarcely have made one false turn.â€
Tt is indeed surprising, Uncle Thomas.â€
“ Surprising, Frank, is too inexpressive 4
term—mysterious it might well be called, as
are indeed all the exhibitions of this sublime
faculty.
“ Under good treatment, even in this country,
the despised ass sometimes displays most un-
expected powers. A few years ago, a gentleman,
returning from Epsom races, had his attention
attracted by the performance of one which was
dragging a donkey-chaise, in which were seated
a man and woman of no small dimensions. It
was going at a very rapid pace. ‘ Curiosity,’
says the gentleman, ‘led me to follow them,
when, as far as I could judge by my own horse,
they were going at the rate of nine miles an
182 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
hour, on a very indifferent road. On being
observed by a friend, he rode up to me, and
told me that he had seen this humble vehicle, on
its way to the course in the morning, give what
is called the go-by to several carriages and four,
and that he was equally struck with the extra-
ordinary appearance and action of the animal.
On my asking the owner a few questions about
him, he informed me that he had done three
miles in fifteen minutes with him, on the road,
for a wager, and that he would back him to do
it im less, at the same time giving me his ad-
dress, by which I found that he was a black-
smith, residing at Mitcham, in Surrey. ‘Do
you keep your ass on the common?’ said I, an-
ticipating his answer. ‘Oh no!’ replied the
son of Vulcan, ‘he has never been out of my
stable for three years, and he eats as good oats
and beans as your horse does.’ ‘It is accounted
for, said I to my friend; so we pulled up our
horses, and gave Neddy the road.
‘Did you ever hear the ass bray, Harry >â€
THE ASS. 183
“ Oh, yes, Uncle Thomas!â€
“ And you thought it most musical, I dare
say, Harry. I have heard of an ass which was
very fond of music. It ranged in a park, in the
middle of which stood a family mansion. The
owner was a lady, who had an excellent voice,
and, whenever she began to sing, the ass never
failed to draw near the window, and listen very
attentively. Once, when a piece was performed,
which no doubt pleased him better than any he
had heard before, he left his ordinary post,
walked without ceremony into the music-room,
and, in order to add to the concert what he
thought was alone wanting to render it perfect,
began to bray with all his might.â€
“ Excellent! Uncle Thomas. I dare say to
the no small amusement of the company.â€â€™
“Do the Mules exhibit the intelligence of
either of their parents, Uncle Thomas >â€
Not to any great extent, Boys: they are
principally noted for their sure-footedness. In
mountainous countries this property renders
184 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
them most valuable. The manner in which they
descend the precipitous declivities of the Alps
and the Andes is most extraordinary.
“In many of the roads, or rather tracks,
which lead from these mountains to the plains,
on one side are steep eminences, and on the
other frightful abysses ; and as they generally
follow the direction of the mountain, the road,
instead of lying on a level, forms, at every little
distance, deep declivities, of several hundred
yards downward. ‘These can be descended only
by mules; and these animals seem sensible of
the danger and the caution that is necessary.
When they come to the edge of one of these
precipices, they stop, without being checked by
the rider: and if he madvertently attempts to
spur them on, they continue immovable, appa-
rently ruminating on the danger that hes before
them, and preparing themselves for the en-
counter. They not only attentively view the
road, but when it is very steep and rugged,
tremble and snort at the danger. Having pre-
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THE MULE. 185
pared for the descent, they place their fore-feet
in a posture as if they were stopping themselves ;
they then draw their hind-feet together, but a
little forward, as they do when about to lie
down. In this attitude, having taken as it were
a survey of the road, they slide down with al-
most inconceivable swiftness. In the meantime,
all that the rider has to do is to keep himself
fast on the saddle, without checking the rein,
for the least motion is sufficient to disturb
the equilibrium of the mule, in which case they
both unavoidably perish. Their address in this
rapid descent is truly wonderful; for in their
swiftest motion, when they seem to have lost all
command over themselves, they follow exactly
the different windings of the road, as if they had
previously settled in their minds the route they
were to follow, and had taken every precaution
for their safety. In these journeys, the natives
place themselves along the sides of the moun-
tains, and, holding by the roots of the trees,
animate the beasts with shouts, and encourage
186 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
them to persevere. Some mules, after being
long used to such travelling, acquire a kind of re-
putation for their safety and skill, and their value
rises In proportion to their fame.â€
“It seems a very dangerous mode of travel-
ling, Uncle Thomas.â€
“‘ Accidents happen much seldomer than one
would expect, Frank, from the extreme sure-
footedness of these animals. But their safety 1s
not the only quality they have to recommend
them. There is a passage m ‘Townsend's
‘Journey through Spain,’ which Harry will
have the goodness to read to us, which shows,
not only the superiority of the Spanish mules,
but casts a pleasing light on the intelligence
and docility of the animal. Here it is :’â€>—
“In this little journey, I was exceedingly
diverted and surprised with the docility of the
mules, and the agility of their drivers. I had
travelled all the way from Barcelona to Madrid,
in a ‘coche de colleras, with seven mules;
and, both at that time and on subsequent occa-
THE MULE. 187
sions, had been struck with the quickness of
understanding in the mule, and of motion in the
driver ; but, till this expedition, [ had no idea
to what extent it might be carried.
“The two coachmen sit upon the box, and
of the six mules, none but the two nearest have
reins to guide them, the four leaders being per-
fectly at liberty, and governed only by the voice.
Thus harnessed, they go upon the gallop the
whole way; and when they come to any short
turning, whether to the right or to the left, they
instantly obey the word, and move altogether,
bending to it like a spring. As all must
undergo tuition, and require frequently some
correction, should any one refuse the collar, or
not keep up exactly with the rest, whether it be,
for example, ‘Coronela’ or ‘Capitana’—the
name pronounced with a degree of vehemence,
rapidly in the first three syllables, and slowly in
the last, being sufficient to awaken attention
and to secure obedience; the ears are raised,
and the mule instantly exerts its strength. But,
188 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
should there be any failure in obedience, one of
the men springs furiously from the box, quickly
overtakes the offending mule, and thrashes her
without mercy; then, in the twinkling of an
eye, leaps upon the box again, and calmly
finishes the tale he had been telling his com-
panion.
“In this journey I thought I had learnt the
names of all the mules; yet one, which fre-
quently occurred, created some confusion, be-
cause I could not find to which individual it
belonged, nor could I distinctly make out the
name itself.
“In a subsequent journey, the whole diffi-
culty. vanished, and my high estimation of the
mule, in point of sagacity, was confirmed. ‘The
words in question, when distinctly spoken, were
‘Aguella otra, that is, ‘You other also;’
thus, supposing Coronela and Capitana to be
pairs, if the coachman had been calling to the
former by name, ‘ Aquella otra’ became appli-
cable to the latter, and was equally efficacious
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THE ZEBRA. 189
as the smartest stroke of a long whip; but if
he had been chiding ‘ Capitana,’ in that case
‘Aquella otra’ acted as a stimulus to ‘Coro-
nela,’ and produced in her the most prompt
obedience.â€
“Thank you, Harry !â€â€™
“‘T have now, Boys, pretty well exhausted
my ‘Stories about Horses;’ but before con-
cluding, I must tell you something about the
Zebra, which naturalists have classed along
with the Horse. Here is a picture of him;
you see how finely marked he is!â€
“Tt is a very beautiful creature, Uncle
Thomas. Is it used for riding, like the
horse ?â€â€
‘No, Harry, it is far too wild an animal for
that. Every attempt that has been made to
tame it has hitherto proved a failure.â€
«¢ Where does it come from, Uncle Thomas ?â€â€™
“Tt is chiefly found in the southern parts of
Africa, Harry, and we are told that large herds
of them are frequently seen feeding in the ex-
190 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
tensive plains which lie towards the Cape of
Good Hope. Their watchfulness is such, that
they will suffer nothing to come near them, and
their swiftness is so great that they easily leave
every pursuer far behind.
“From the experiments which have been
made, it seems unlikely that the zebra ever can
be so tamed as to perform the services of the
horse or the ass; though one which was unfor-
tunately burnt at the Lyceum, near Exeter
Change, some years ago, was so docile, that
it allowed its keeper to put children on its back,
without exhibiting any signs of resentment.
On one occasion it is said that a person even
rode it from the Lyceum to Pimlico, a distance
of about a mile and a half. It was, however,
descended from half-reclaimed parents. An
other, which was brought from the Cape of
Good Hope, by General Dundas, in 1803, and
which was afterwards purchased, and deposited
in the Tower Menagerie, became more docile
than the generality of zebras brought to Europe,
THE ZEBRA. 191
and was tolerably obedient to her keeper, when
in good humeur. This man was servant to the
general, and attended her during the voyage
home. He would sometimes, with great dex-
terity, spring on her back, and she would carry
him a hundred and fifty or two hundred yards,
when she generally became restive, and would
oblige him to dismount. Sometimes, when ir-
ritated, she plunged at the keeper, and attempted
to kick him. She one day seized him by the
coat with her teeth, and threw him on the
ground; and, had he not got out of her way
with some rapidity, she would, in all proba-
bility, have destroyed him. He had much dif-
ficulty in managing her, from the irritability of
her temper, and the great extent to which, in
almost every direction, she could kick with her
feet, and the propensity she had of seizing with
her teeth whatever offended her. Strangers
she would by no means allow to approach, un-
less the keeper held her fast by the head, and
even then there was a risk of receiving a blow
192 STORIES ABOUT HORSES.
from her hind-feet. So you see, Boys, it 1s not
always the most showy animals which are the
most useful.
“ T must now bid you good-bye for the pre-
sent. J have many more ‘Stories’ to tell you,
so I hope we shall soon meet again. I hope
those which I have just concluded of the Horse
will make a due impression on your minds, and
lead you to adopt the language of the poet :—
“These are thy glorious works, Parent of Good,
Almighty! Thine this universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wondrous then!
Unspeakable! who sit’st above these heav’ns,
To us invisible, or dimly seen
In these thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine
yo3
‘‘ Good-bye, Boys !â€â€™
Good-bye, Uncle Thomas!â€
THE END.
Printed by THomas Harninp, 11, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street.