OUTLINES.
1. The wild horse.
2. The many kinds of tamed horses.
3. The services horses do for men.
4. The speed, strength and intelligence of the horse.
The horse was at first a wild animal, and horses are still found wild in parts of America. Wild horses are small animals, with rough, long hair. They live in herds, hundreds moving about together in search of pasture.
But in very early times, men caught these wild horses and tamed them; and for thousands of years, horses have been kept and bred by men for their own uses. All wild horses are much the same; but by careful breeding, men have improved horses in size and strength and beauty; and now there are many different kinds. There are very big English cart-horses, which are slow but very strong and are used for dragging ploughs and heavy loads. There are light and beautiful Arab horses, very swift English race-horses, strong horses for drawing carriages, and for riding, and little sturdy ponies.
Horses are used for riding and for drawing carts and carriages. Riding horses are used
for travelling long distances, for hunting, for mounted soldiers or cavalry in battle, for racing, and for riding for pleasure. Draught horses (that is, horses for drawing things) are used for pulling carts and carriages, ploughs and cannon. Nowadays railway-trains and motor-cars are doing a great deal of the work that horses used to do; but a hundred years ago people had to use horses for travelling quickly and for long journeys.
What makes the horse so useful to men is its strength, its speed and its intelligence. The horse is very strong; it can trot and gallop very fast for long distances without tiring. And it is a clever animal, that can be trained to understand what is wanted of it. It is indeed a noble creature. it is beautiful and graceful to look at; and it is a willing and obedient servant, when treated with kindness. A good master comes to love his horse, and a good horse loves and is faithful to its master. Next to the dog, the horse is the friend of men.
