Colin had not had blinkers on he would have seen it, lamp or no lamp,
for he was far too knowing an old horse to run into danger. As it was,
he was very much hurt, the carriage was broken, and how John escaped
nobody knew."

"I should say," said Ginger, curling her nostril, "that these men, who
are so wise, had better give orders that in the future all foals should
be born with their eyes set just in the middle of their foreheads,
instead of on the side; they always think they can improve upon nature
and mend what God has made."

Things were getting rather sore again, when Merrylegs held up his
knowing little face and said, "I'll tell you a secret: I believe John
does not approve of blinkers; I heard him talking with master about it
one day. The master said that 'if horses had been used to them, it might
be dangerous in some cases to leave them off'; and John said he thought
it would be a good thing if all colts were broken in without blinkers,
as was the case in some foreign countries. So let us cheer up, and have
a run to the other end of the orchard; I believe the wind has blown down
some apples, and we might just as well eat them as the slugs."

Merrylegs could not be resisted, so we broke off our long conversation,
and got up our spirits by munching some very sweet apples which lay
scattered on the grass.




11 Plain Speaking