144 EXAMINA TION OF HORSES 



The third and last part of the examination consists in 



1. Testing for lameness. 



2. Testing the ^'wind." 



3. Removing the fore shoes. 



I shall not dwell much on these points, because, as 

 regards the third, all considerations involved have already- 

 been gore over in treating of the fore foot ; and as re- 

 gards the first, I have only to make one or two remarks 

 as to the mode of applying the tests, because were I to 

 enumerate the different forms of lameness, and their 

 seats and causes, I should encroach upon the domain of 

 surgery and pathology, and here we are considering the 

 state of animals supposed to be in comparative health. 



In testing for lameness, it is needful that you bear in 

 mind that you have hard and soft parts to deal with. 

 The hard parts, such as the bones, best exhibit any 

 disease, by being jarred and concussed ; and the soft 

 parts, as the muscles, whose duty it is to shorten and 

 lengthen alternately, to pull and be pulled, are best 

 tested by these functions being put into active exertion ; 

 so that you require your examinee to 



1 . Trot on hard ground ; 



2. Gallop on soft ground. 



And in going through these movements, you must not 

 forget that the machine ought to be able to 



1. Go forwards ; 



2. Backwards; 



3. Turn round and round both ways on the same area 

 of ground he stands upon. 



