86 EXAMINATION OF HORSES 



rest or not, you will find his shoulders stiff, his pasterns 

 t/p7'ight, and that he goes on his toes. If you do not watch 

 him yourself during the time he is resting, something like 

 the following may happen. 



About six years ago I drove a distance of a few miles 

 from Leeds to examine a horse that I suspected had a 

 slight touch of groggy lameness, and used the means I 

 have above recommended, but went and sat down with 

 the vendor after warming the horse and putting him in 

 the stable. On my making my appearance the vendor's 

 man quarrelled with the horse and excited him so that, 

 instead of his walking quietly out of the stable, he made 

 a rush for the door so as to eftectually mask any stiffness 

 of gait the horse might otherwise have evinced. It was 

 late in the afternoon on a winter's day, and darkness ap- 

 proaching; there was no time for a repetition of the 

 exercise and standing, so that I bid the intended seller 

 good-day and started home, and for my own sake I had 

 to make a second journey, because it was clearly my 

 fault for not having watched the horse myself. Indeed 

 •you miss a good deal by not watching how he disposes 

 of his feet during his rest, to see if he points and keeps 

 shifting his feet. 



If you see the symptoms named as the horse is being 

 led out of the stable, you may be pretty certain that 

 navicular disease is causing them, and condemn the 

 horse as unsound. You are not bound to specify the 

 particular disease, either in a certificate or orally, to 

 either your employer or any other body. It is far safer 



