CHAPTER XL 



ON SOUNDNESS ; AND ON THE PURCHASE AND SALE OP HORSES 



The ELASTIC conscience of a HORSE-DEALER has become a by-word ; but 

 I confess that my experience does not lead me to conclude that the class 

 is more open to charges of unfair dealing than others. Few intending pur- 

 chasers of a horse will be content with anything less than what they 

 believe to be absolute perfection in him ; and if the seller tells the truth 

 about the animal he has to dispose of, his chance of a sale would be a poor 

 one. The dealer is, therefore, placed in the dilemma of being compelled either 

 to give his horse a chai'acter which he does not deserve, or to forego all chance 

 of a sale; and hence it is not surprising that he draws rather extensively upon 

 his imagination. According to my experience, however, amateurs are not 

 exempt from this failing ; and if I were compelled to purchase a horse from 

 character alone, I should far prefer relying upon that given by a respectable 

 dealer. The latter class are, no doubt, more skilled in hiding defects and 

 disease, and therefore it requires a more practical knowledge of the horse to 

 detect their artifices where they are sufficiently short-sighted to adopt them. 

 On the whole, however, it may generally be concluded that unless a gentle- 

 man has had an extensive experience in purchasing horses, he will do well 

 to place himself in the hands of a dealei', telling him exactly what he wants, 

 and not pretending a knowledge which he does not possess. 



In all large towns there are men of some character and standing, who 

 may be selected for this purpose ; and in London, Dublin, Edinburgh, 

 Birmingham, Liverpool, Cheltenham, and other places there are repositories, 

 where horses are sold by auction on stated days. These auction-marts 

 save the vendor from some responsibility, as there are conditions of sale at 

 the head of the catalogue by which both buyer and seller are bound to 

 abide. 



In a few cases horses are entered as sound, but more often with a veter- 

 inary surgeon's certificate of recent date. A number of professional men, 

 who from long practice are expert in the detection of unsoundness in the 

 bustle of the auction-yard, are always in attendance, and the buyer does 

 well to seek their advice. 



Messrs. Tattersall's, of Albert Gate, London, and Messrs. Freeman's of 

 " Aldridge's," St. Martin's Lane, may be taken as examples of the usual 

 rules obtaining at permanent auction-marts, and are as follows : — 



"All horses sold at this Repository as 'good hunters' must not only be 

 sound in ' wind and eyes,' but must be quiet to ride, have been hunted, 



GSl 



