HOW TO BUY A HORSE 383 



portion of the foot, and is consequently liable to return 

 again. See that both fore-feet, as well as the hind 

 ones, are of equal size, and ascertain that they are 

 quite cool, and equally so. Attend to what we have 

 already said respecting the examination of the sole, 

 and its proper form. Thrush may be detected by the 

 fetid smell of the foot, besides the other symptoms 

 which we have described, but it is not of much 

 consequence. 



As the feet of horses are of such importance, we 

 would especially recommend to all to acquire a 

 thorough knowledge of them ; and we know no better 

 plan than to attend daily at a well-employed shoeing- 

 forge, and for a small gratuity the smith will allow 

 the various feet to be examined ; and if he has had 

 experience, he will be able to point out readily the 

 indications of disease. He will also see why differently 

 formed hoofs require the shape of the shoe to be modi- 

 fied, and adapted to the peculiarity of structure, or 

 probably existing disease. 



The next important point to be attended to is the 

 wind and breathing of the animal. Study all we have 

 said on the different complaints connected with the 

 lungs ; namely, roaring, broken wind, whistling, etc. 

 The wind may be tested by pinching the wind-pipe im- 

 mediately behind the jaw. If the horse give a long 

 sharp cough, it is an indication that he is sound in that 

 respect ; but if the cough be short and hollow, it may 

 be inferred that he has unsound lungs : let gentle 

 pressure on the wind-pipe be repeated in order fully to 

 test this. Be sure to perform this test with your own 

 hand, as dealers know that by compressing the wind- 

 pipe firmly with one hand and the fore-finger of the 

 other, the horse is forced to cough while they do so, 

 which produces that shrill sound considered a test of 



