AS TO SOC/NB.VESS. 145 



The trot on hard ground cannot be too slow ; and the 

 servant at this time should take a long hold of the 

 bridle, so as to let the horse have his head. It ought to 

 be on level ground, and on very hard ground. By level 

 ground I mean there ought not to be holes and hillocks 

 in the ground, such as one finds in badly-paved streets. 



If you are satisfied with his trot, and have discovered 

 no lameness, or stringhalt, or stiffness, etc., then proceed 

 to try his soft parts, by galloping him on soft ground. 

 The effects of this are to be looked for afterwards ; but 

 during this part of the test you are also testing his wind. 

 In doing so, you have to bring your hearing in as 

 an examining agent, also your eyesight ; therefore it is 

 essential that the horse is never out of the range of these 

 senses. During this time you must /lear every breath he 

 takes, and you must either ride him yourself, or you 

 must have him ridden or handed round you i?i a circle 

 such as you find in a horse-rider's circus. It must be 

 soft, so that the hoofs make as little noise as possible, or 

 the noise of the breathing will not be well heard. A 

 grass field is the best place, and it is far preferable to 

 have the horse run round you than for you to get upon 

 him. You hear the exact character of the breathing 

 better than if you were on him, by far. I usually do 

 both. Your employers are better satisfied, because they, 

 for one thing, like to have your opinion as to his mouth, 

 if he has a hard mouth or not, or a hard side and a soft 

 side to his mouth. A horse with a hard and soft side to 

 his mouth is always objectionable; but a horse with a 



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