126 THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN 



time have noticed it. It is a catching-up of the 

 hind leg much above the height necessary to clear 

 the ground, as if the horse had suddenly trod upon 

 a bar of heated iron : it is understood to arise in a 

 diseased spine, producing an ajQfection of the nerves 

 descending to the muscles of the leg, and causing 

 a spasmodic action of those muscles. If this patho- 

 logical fact were well established no doubt could 

 exist that string-halt is unsoundness ; but it is 

 very unfortunate for society that the veterinary art 

 is so little understood upon scientific principles, as 

 to render it almost impossible, in most cases, to 

 produce to a jury any other evidence than the loose 

 opinions of mere practical farriers. Men of this 

 class never regard a string-halt as unsoundness, 

 for not one in a hundred has the least conception 

 of the seat of the disorder: a purchaser must 

 consequently, be upon his guard before he buys, 

 and not rely upon his warranty at all to protect 

 him in this case. The only hint that I can give 

 him is to watch the action of the horse as soon as 

 ever he is shown ; for the defect is most visible at 

 the moment his acuon begins, and not unfrequently 

 disappears after he has been exercised five or ten 

 minutes on the ride. 



