AS TO SOUNDNESS. 



nothing can be either seen or felt, and which only 

 manifests itself occasionally ; but when it does, the 

 symptoms are unmistakably those of " spavin." 



If you are quite satisfied with what you have seen 

 in the stable, you then have the horse brought out. 

 In doing so it is best, if you have your choice, to 

 have a snaffle bridle put on ; but before the horse 

 leaves the stable you had better examine his eyes. 

 There is no contrivance so good for examining the 

 eyes as a " top light," which we often find over a 

 stable door. Bring the horse quite up to the door, 

 and shut it. By this means you can examine the 

 anterior half of the eyes thoroughly, and it is seldom 

 we want to examine the posterior half — the fundus — 

 which we can only do by means of the ophthalmoscope. 

 The first thing in examining the eyes is to see that 

 they are of equal size. Repealed attacks of ophthalmia 

 leave the eye smaller than its fellow, together with 

 other serious changes. One attack usually leaves be- 

 hind it very perceptible changes, of which the fore- 

 mentioned diminution in size is one. The smaller eye 

 will also show signs of previous disease in the shape 

 of the pupil ; the iris being involved, we not unfre- 

 quently have adhesion of its posterior part to the lens. 

 This usually is only partial ; so that on contraction of 

 the iris, the part adherent does not move, and so 

 alters the general outline of the margin of the pupil. 

 To see this to the greatest perfection, place both hands 

 gently over the eyes, so as to exclude the light, and 



