8. He has a broad, strong back, and can carry a man all day without being very tired. There is room upon his back for two persons, and some times two ride at a time. [Illustration: Full Speed.] 9. He has long legs, so that his head is about as high as the top of a man’s hat. 10. He is covered with a thick coat of short hair, and this keeps him warm, except in very cold weather, when he needs a blanket. 11. Instead of claws, he has hoofs, hard like bone, so that it does not hurt him when he trots or runs on the ground. 12. When horses work, or travel over a hard road, they have iron shoes nailed to their hoofs, so that they will not be hurt by striking the stones. 13. The hoofs have no feeling on the outside, and it does not hurt the horse to have these shoes nailed on. They grow like our nails, and must be pared once in a while. 14. The horse can paw with his fore feet, and kick with his hind ones, and, when he kicks hard, he breaks things. He has a tail covered with long hair, and this he uses as a switch to keep off flies in summer. LESSON XXII. _THE HORSE AND ITS FRIENDS._ [Illustration] 1. In some places men keep horses to ride when they go out to hunt foxes, and these horses are called hunters. 2. Dogs are also used in the hunt, and the horses and dogs are so much together that they often become the best of friends. 3. Once old “Hector,” a dog, had such a liking for his friend “Ben,” the hunter, that he would leave his own bed and go and sleep with Ben in the stable. 4. In the morning when Hector was let out, Ben would be very uneasy until he came back, and, when he came, the horse would give a joyful neigh. 5. Ben would stoop his head, and Hector would lick it all over, and then Ben would scratch Hector’s back with his teeth. 6. One day when they were out together a big dog set upon Hector and threw him down, and began to bite and tear him. 7. Ben saw the danger his friend was in, and rushed forward to help him. The strange dog felt a grip in the back, and then he was thrown so far that he was glad to be able to get up and limp away. He never tried to touch Hector again when Ben was about. 8. Here is another story of a horse and his friends: A poor stray kitten found its way into a stable and made its home there. 9. It soon made friends with a lame chicken and the pony, and the three were never quite happy except when together. 10. It was very funny to see the kitten and the chicken close together upon the pony’s broad back, while he would stand very still so as not to disturb them. LESSON XXIII. _HOW THE HORSE EATS._ [Illustration] 1. To-day we wish to find out something about a horse’s mouth, and how he eats. Can you tell us, Charlie? 2. Yes! I have looked at the horse’s mouth, and can tell about his teeth. In front, on each jaw, he has six teeth with sharp edges. These cut the grass when he feeds in the pasture.