179 



simple, as merely vouching the Horse to be sound ; or it may extend to 

 sound, barring this or that delect; lor example, the loss of an eye: or to 

 sound and free from vice or blemish, and quiet to ride or draw. I for- 

 merly defined the term Soundness to imply, ' not diseased, lame, blind, 

 or broken-winded; nor having, at the time of sale, any impending cause 

 thereof.' By custom, three days trial are allowed to the purchaser, 

 within which period, the Horse, if unsound, ought to be returned; but 

 in case of latent defect, and proof of its existence, at the time of the 

 sale, a much longer time does not bar the return of the Horse; on the 

 other hand, if the seller can prove the soundness, it is |iresumed the 

 Horse has been damaged whilst in the custody of the purchaser, who 

 must, in that case, keep his bargain. Success in causes of this nature, 

 depends much on strength of evidence, and the opposite /ocYs which 

 have been sworn in court, seem to countenance the idea, that at present, 

 as well as in the religious days of Charles, 



" Witnesses like watches go. 



Just as they're set, too fast or slow. 



Some of the various causes of impending unsoundness, are as .follow:' 

 rottenness, the symptoms of which, staring of the hair, binding of the 

 hide, and leanness, may be mistaken for mere want of keep and con- 

 dition. But in case of real and irreparable decay, the hair at the root 

 is in the same state, and will come off with a slight pull ; the breath also 

 from the mouth and nose, has often a faint, cadaverous smell, and the 

 eyes have a dull and morbid appearance. Such symptoms are likewise 

 indicative of glanders, the more obvious appearances of which are kernels 

 under the jaws, and discharge at the nostrils. 



Incipient blindness, from an opacity or cloudiness in one or both 

 eyes, generally of a blue colour. The Horse's sight will intermit, he 

 sometimes seeing well, at others, imperfectly, until he lose an eye, or 

 both. It is very usual for a Horse to be purchased in this state, as 

 sound ; and formerly, it occurred to myself more than once. In one 

 instance i kept the Horse several weeks, and then returned him to the 

 dealer, on whose warrant I had purchased him ; the man being con- 

 vinced that the eyes were delective at the time of sale, refunded the 



2 A 2 purchase- 



