AS TO SOUNDNESS. 



ought to be, and methodical, in their examinations of 

 horses as to soundness. 



From commencing at the near side nostril to the 

 terminating at the off hind limb, with very little practice, 

 you ought not in any case to be longer than five 

 minutes. Practise going through the movements on 

 some horse in a quiet place for half an hour a day 

 for a fortnight ; but let it be a sound horse, if possible, 

 in order that you may educate your sense of touch, and 

 train your mind to recognising, through the touch, the 



1. Normal form, 



2. Size, 



3. Warmth, 



4. Hardness, 



5. Softness, 



6. Elasticity, 



7. Non-elasticity 



01 the various structures ; and when you have learned 

 this, and acquired this tadus eriiditus, or educated touch, 

 you will have nothing to fear, provided you always apply 

 the tactus eruditus with method. Nothing convinces me 

 more, next to my own experience of the value of this 

 educated touch, than the readiness and accuracy with 

 which all good grooms detect undue heat in a part, or 

 any swelling or other abnormality. They detect it at 

 o?ice by their educated touch ; but in their case they are 

 for the most part unacquainted with the structure and 

 functions of the mechanism, so that they can act as 

 beacons only. 



