— 68 — 



• 



4. Obliq'Je Tail, or Wry Tail. — This is caused by contrac- 

 tion of the muscles of tlie tail on one side. It may sometimes be 

 iLui)roved by a surgical operation, and should be considered a 

 serious defect in an}^ horse, and especially so in a diiving horse. 



5. Turning the Toe of the Hoof out or ix Unduly, Sand 

 Cracks, Quarter Cracks, Dish Hoofs, Over-reaching, Inter- 

 fering, ETC, are all to be looked for before finally buying a 

 liorse. They are all disabilities that sliouUl not be present where 

 the purchaser pays full price for the animal. They are, how 

 ever, all so apparent that the purchaser is to blame if he fails to 

 see them. 



G. Wolf Teeth — These rudimentary teeth, which are found 

 in some hoi'ses but not in mares, and which have been supposed 

 by ignorant persons to produce blindness, and other diseases, 

 are entirely harmless, except for the abrasion they sometime oc- 

 casion to the tongue and cheeks. If they do so thej^ are easily 

 taken out by any sensible blacksmith. In fact it is quite well 

 to extract them, not that they vfill produce serious disease, but 

 simply because they are n()t of any value, are useless to the ani- 

 mal, and may occasion slight inconvenience. 



7. Shying. — This is one of the most dangerous habits a horse 

 can have, whether it be occasioned by cowardice — seldom the 

 case ; injudicious punishment is more common — or from defective 

 eyesight, or from all these combined. If you are so unfortunate 

 as to have a shying horse endeavor to break him of the vice by 

 allowing him to examine objects of which he is afraid, by speak- 

 ing soothingly to him, but never by whipping or spurring him. 

 When he shows a disposition to shy turn his head to rather than 

 from the object. Stop him ; let him approach the object and 

 touch it with his nose, for soon he will approach it himself. It 

 simply caused by nerveousness, he may thus be cured. If caused 

 b}^ being short sighted there is no means of relief Before you 

 buy a horse be certain that he has not this infirmity, as dangerous 

 an one as it is disagreeable. Su;'h an animal is only ht to be 

 driven by the side of another horse who will keep him to his 

 work, and upon which he at length will come to depend, or of 

 being driven as a wheeler in a team of four horses. 



