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Have tlie liorse led out of the stable, as all horses should be examined 

 in the open air. The first of all look to his age. For ascertaining 

 tlie correct age of the horse you will find it laid down elsewhere in 

 tliis book. Open the horse's mouth, look at his grinders and see 

 that they are in a proper condition. Next examine his eyes, then 

 his ears, running your fingers carefully in them to see that there is 

 no unnatural growth of warts or bunches such as wens, etc., which 

 could not otherwise be discerned, as thereby many horses have been 

 rendered deaf from such causes. Take your right hand, place it on 

 the top of his head and feel for the effects of Polevil, or any sores of 

 any nature that may be there. Then run your hand back to his 

 withers and examine for any marks of the surgeon's knife or fistula, 

 also while examining the mouth, look carefully for any marks or 

 scars that might be the result of the use of the knife. Now run 

 your hand on the horse's back to the region of his kidneys to ascer- 

 tain if there is any weakness there. Now stand directly in front of 

 the animal, and see if he has a full chest, and that his shoulders are 

 both alike. Now look at his fore feet and see if they are both the 

 same size. 



Now pick up his feet and see that the frog is of a yielding and 

 tender character. See that he does not have " Thrush," which you 

 can detect from the offensive odor arising therefrom. Now look on 

 the inside of his front leg and see whether he has splints or any 

 unnatural enlargements of any character or nature. Now, examine 

 the hind legs for bone spavin or any enlargemen t of the hock joint, such 

 as blood spavins, bog spavin, thorough pin, curve, &c., &c. Examine 

 the leaders and tendons. Now have the horse trotted at a slow and 

 also a quick pace; then take a side view of the same action. Then 

 have him backed quickly and led up quickly, keeping your eyes on 

 his hind legs, looking for string halt. Now have him turned round 

 short, looking for any weakness about his front legs, in which he will 

 exhibit by dragging one of his limbs. Also examine his throat and 

 nostrils, looking for any disease that might be located there. 



The ears of a horse should be small; broad between his ears, 

 broad between his eyes, with a large and full hazel eye, perfectly 

 level and straight from the forehead down to the nostril, with a 

 large, full nostril and thin. Size of the animal varies according to 

 what you want to use him for. The bones of the horse's leg should be 



