CHAPTER XVII. 

 How to Buy a Horse. 



LITTLE do novices in horse-flesh think how many tricks 

 are resorted to by dishonest dealers to conceal the 

 defects of a horse, and take in the uninitiated. To 

 exhibit a few of these will be the aim of this chapter, 

 as well as to throw out several hints which may be 

 useful in assisting the unexperienced in the purchase 

 of a horse. 



The first thing to be attended to is the form of the 

 animal ; and this differs materially in the various 

 breeds, and its good points will depend upon their 

 adaptation to particular kinds of work. The head in 

 all the breeds should be fine, broad between the eyes, 

 and tapering towards the nose ; the jaws ought to be 

 clean, and not possessing too much flesh ; the eye full, 

 sparkling, and lively ; the nostrils rather large, open, 

 and of a clear red ; the space underneath between the 

 jaws should be roomy, and free from glandular swell- 

 ings or lumps ; the ears should be well set into the 

 head and pointed forwards, but not large ; the neck 

 should be well curved, f lightly formed rather than 

 muscular, and considerably arched beneath at its union 

 with the jaws ; the shoulder should be high and 

 sloping ; the withers should be of medium breadth, 

 and not too high, as it will be found that high- 

 withered horses are generally narrow in the chest, 



