UNSOUNDNESS 363 



\T he should spring a curb five minutes after the purchase, for it is done in 

 a moment, and does not necessarily indicate any previous unsoundness or 

 weakness of the part. 



Cutting, as rendering a horse liable to serious injury of the legs, and 

 indicating that he is either weak, or has an awkwardness of gait inconsist- 

 ent with safety, should be considered as unsoundness. Many horses go 

 lame for a considerable period after cutting themselves severely ; and others 

 have dropped from the sudden agony, and endangered themselves and their 

 riders. As some doubt, however, exists on this subject, and as it is a very 

 material objection to a horse, cutting, when evident, should have its serious 

 consequences provided against by a special warranty. 



Enlarged Glands. — The enlargement of the glands under the jaw has 

 not been so much considered as it ought, in our estimate of the soundness 

 of the horse. Simple catarrh will occasionally, and severe affection of the 

 chest will generally be accompanied by swelling of these glands, and which 

 does not subside for a considerable time after the cold or fever has apparently 

 been cured. To a slight enlargement of the glands under the jaw much 

 attention need not be paid ; but if they are of considerable size, and 

 especially if they are tender, and the gland at the root of the ear partakes 

 of the enlargement, and the membrane of the nose is redder than it should 

 be, we should hesitate in pronouncing that horse to be sound. We should 

 fear the commencement, or the insidious lurking of disease. 



Enlarged Hock. — A horse with enlarged hock is unsound. The structure 

 of this complicated joint being so materially affected, that although the horse 

 may appear for a considerable time to do ordinary work well, he will occasion, 

 ally fail even as to that, and a few days' hard work will always lame him. 



The Eyes. — That inflammation of the eye of the horse which usually 

 terminates in blindness of one or both eyes, has the peculiar character of 

 remitting or disappearing for a time, once or twice, or thrice, before it fully 

 runs its course. The eye, after an attack of inflammation, regains so nearly 

 its former natural brilliancy, that a man well acquainted with horses will 

 not always recognise the traces of former disease. After a time, however, 

 the inflammation returns, and the result is unavoidable. A horse from four 

 to six years of age that has had one attack of this complaint, is long after- 

 wards unsound, however perfect the eye may seem to be, because he 

 carries about with him a disease that will again break out, and eventually 

 destroy the sight. Whether, therefore, he may be returned or not, depends 

 on the possibility of proving an attack of inflammation of the eye, prior 

 to the purchase. Next to direct evidences of this, are appearances about 

 the eye, of which the veterinary surgeon at least ought not to be igno- 

 rant. They have been described at page 114. They consist chiefly of a 

 puckering of the lids towards the inner corner of one or both eyes — a 

 difference, although perhaps only a slight one, and not discovered except it 

 be looked for, in the size of the eyes; a gloominess of the eye, a dullness 

 of the iris, a little dullness of the transparent part of the eye generally — 

 a minute, faint, dusky spot, deep in the eye, and generally with little 

 radiations of white lines proceeding from it: if these symptoms, or the 

 majority of them, were observed at the time of purchase, the animal had 

 assuredly been diseased before, and is unsound. Starting is an equivocal 

 proof. It is usually an indication of defective sight, but is occasionally a 

 trick. Connected, however, with the appearances just described, it is a 

 very strong corroborative proof. 



If a man buys a horse actually blind, he may repent of his bargain, btf? 

 he cannot get rid of it. He should be more careful, and the law will JUA 

 protect him if he does not use common precaution. 



