i6 EXAMINATION OF HORSES 



employed by the most unpractised ; so much so, 

 that frequently when I have been asked regarding the 

 cause of " shying," and on examining the horse's lens 

 with a lighted candle and the mirror part of the 

 ophthalmoscope, have found the most minute speck 

 of cataract, I have delighted the owner by allowing 

 him to see that which has been the cause of the shy- 

 ing in this way. To use an ophthalmoscope effi- 

 ciently requires almost as much practice as it does 

 to play the pianoforte, it being the most difficult to 

 use of any instrument in the whole of surgery, not 

 excluding the lithotrite ; but any one may use the 

 mirror part at once. When doing so, any opacities 

 of the cornea or lens appear as dark spots upon a 

 bright red background. I need hardly say that any 

 trace of opacity in either the lens or its capsule is 

 an unsoundness which cannot be passed over. 



Having got so far, and the eyes being found all 

 right, we next bring the horse out of the stable, and, 

 when possible, place him on level ground. During 

 the next manoeuvre — that of walking round the horse, 

 and taking a general view of him — we have often to 

 find fault with dealers' men for holding the animal 

 with the head up, instead of their taking a long hold 

 of the bridle or halter, and allowing the horse to 

 have his head free. This is really important, for at 

 this stage it often happens that we find blemishes 

 which would render it unnecessary to continue the 

 examination; some of which blemishes may be con- 



