IN SEARCH OF A HORSE. 337 



paces and general appearance. He rode her a 

 second time to Mr. Field's, but not without disclos- 

 ing his intention to have her examined, to which I 

 readily acceded ; here she was condemned as lame in 

 her off hock : of course he declined purchasing her. 

 Now what is the fact ? About four months before, 

 she threw a curb, of which she speedily recovered, 

 though the blemish remained, and was pointed out 

 to him in the first instance, when the warranty of 

 soundness was offered : so far, however, was she 

 from being disabled, that she twice, within three 

 weeks, carried me forty miles without drawing bit, 

 and once had a fair day with the fox-hounds ! It 

 will be readily supposed that I should not have thus 

 worked a lame horse, which I was about to sell at 

 the end of the season. Without distrusting the skill 

 of Mr. Field, for whom I have a sincere respect, I 

 had more confidence in Mr. Woodin's opinion, con- 

 firmed as it was by my own experience of the mare. 

 Mr. Field was misled by the blemish : the mare was 

 not lame any where ; and had the only question put 

 to Mr. Field, been as to her capacity for work, I 

 should not have lost a purchaser, and the purchaser 

 would not have lost a cheap and very useful horse : 

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