IN SEARCH OP A HORSE. 117 



might as well pinch his own throat as the horse's ; 

 and as this distinction can only be acquired by prac- 

 tice, it is, as I have observed, very difficult for a 

 beginner to satisfy himself on this point. It may, 

 however, be inferred by the most unskilful, that if 

 the horse, seeming otherwise quiet, flinches from 

 the approach of the hand, it is because he has fre- 

 quently been tried, and therefore perhaps frequently 

 excited the suspicions of better-informed customers. 



Very analogous to this disorder is the enviable 

 faculty called '^roaring," which, if I remember 

 right, that celebrated equestrian Geoffrey Gambado 

 recommends as an inestimable quality in your horse, 

 because it saves your voice, to summon the toll- 

 collector to his gate: nevertheless these "roarers" 

 are usually silent in a dealer's stable. I believe that 

 the seat of the disease is the throat, or more correct- 

 ly speaking, the wind-pipe. It is considered incura- 

 ble. It is not elicited by any moderate exertion, 

 and consequently the horse must be galloped to 

 insure detection. Where for the reasons before 

 stated, this test car not be resorted to, it is usual to 

 strike the horse very suddenly, and even severely, 

 under the flank: this excites the "roar." I cannot 

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