THE HORSE. 101 



was moderate, not injurious in its properties, and 

 administered to the horse at a time when he was in 

 a proper state of preparation to receive it, there is 

 no great risk in purchasing him. I should not have 

 gone so lengthily into the subject of caution requisite 

 in these cases, were it not that many of the " old 

 school " still adhere to the system of giving a ball 

 consisting of calomel (a medicine rarely necessary), 

 and other drugs sufficient to ruin all the horses in a 

 whole troop of cavalry. 



We cannot wonder, when we recollect the pre- 

 posterous doses that were habitually given to horses 

 a few years ago, that they often either destroyed the 

 poor creatures, or rendered them permanently decrepit. 



It does not occur every day that there is any 

 necessity to buy a horse when still under the effects 

 of physic ; yet there are cases when, from rivalry among 

 those who know him, anxiety is manifested to purchase 

 a horse who would not, under other circumstances, be 

 or be likely to be sold ; and in such instances the suc- 

 cessful competitor runs considerable risk. 



In spite of the unimportance in many cases, I think 

 it right to show what dangers and chances may occa- 

 sionally happen, as I have often been questioned on the 

 subject. 



A short time since, two gentlemen were, at the same 

 time, considering about buying a horse that was just 

 then in physic, with a view to the preparation for 



