460 CHAPTER 61. 



points which he thinks suspicious. To such special warranty on any one 

 point for a given time the Author sees no objection either on the part of 

 the buyer or of the seller. 



Warranties are also given as to freedom from vice. These are very apt 

 to lead to difficulty. A horse may be quiet with one person and trouble- 

 some with another. A horse may be quiet if properly exercised, and 

 fractions if left in the stable and over-fed. Again, a horse with a really 

 beautiful mouth will often show temper and perhaps rear, if the rider has 

 bad hands. 



As regards the temper or vice, the intending purchaser ought to pro- 

 tect himself by riding or driving the animal, and ascertaining by such 

 trial that he suits his hands and seat. If he is too timid to do it himself, 

 he can always find a friend who will not object to make the trial ; though 

 for the reason given above such trial is very inferior to that made by the 

 intending purchaser personally. Seeing a horse ridden by the dealer or 

 his man is worth nothing. Horse dealers, though they make a point of 

 abusing their men and declaring that they have no " hands," in reality 

 always provide themselves with good riders for the purpose of showing 

 off their cattle to the best advantage. 



In trying a horse, the animal should always be ridden in front of, 

 alone, and in company. Many vicious horses go quietly along with 

 another horse, especially with one to which they are accustomed ; whilst 

 others go quietly alone, which are excessively unpleasant to ride along 

 with other horses. The horse, when tried in company, should always be 

 ridden a little behind as well as in front of and alongside others. Some 

 animals fidget all day unless they are in front, whilst others start and 

 shy when in front, though quiet when ridden behind or with others. 



939. Purchase of aged horses. 



The advisability of buying a mature horse of six or seven years old 

 should never be lost sight of, notwithstanding a few lumps or bumps, the 

 result of work, in preference to an absolutely clean-legged animal of that 

 age. The chances are that perfectly clean legs at that age are due to a 

 delicate constitution, a bad temper, or an attack of serious disease, which 

 has kept the animal out of the influences likely to cause these signs of 

 " honest work." 



An unbroken technically, i. e. absolutely sound six-year-old horse, is 

 an object of grave suspicion to all practical horsemen, who know that no 

 ordinary reason would induce the breeder to keep the animal till that age, 

 when it was as marketable at four years old. 



Moreover Conformation -must play a very important part in expressing 

 an opinion regarding the unsoundness of Legs, which may presumably be 

 the result of work or accident. 



939a. Responsibility of Veterinary Surgeons. 



As in the human subject specialists are often mistaken in the views 

 they take of the patient's constitutional ailments, so it may occur that 



