Common Diseases of the Horse 169 



noise". Such an animal is commonly known as a "bull". These 

 terms imply that the animal is defective in the wind, but may not 

 either roar or whistle in its gallop, although the chances are that it 

 will do so if pushed to any extent. 



To test a horse for these defects, it is only necessary to put him 

 against a wall whilst wearing only a hemp halter or open bridle and 

 pretend to strike him with a stick ; the quicker and more suddenly 

 he can be surprised the more thorough the test will be. It is quite 

 unnecessary, and it is at the same time cruel, for horses to be 

 thrashed, as is very frequently done, in order to test them for 

 " grunting". Usually, after the first startled grunt, and when they 

 know what is about to happen, they will not do it a second time. 

 It is amusing, and at the same time may be instructive, to the 

 uninitiated to learn the various expressions which are applied to 

 animals suffering from any wind infirmity. By dealers they are 

 said to be " musical", to " belong to the band", to play the " drum" 

 or " cornet", and are often called by the name of any singer who at 

 the moment may be popular. Unsoundness of wind very greath 

 depreciates the value of animals affected, in some cases rendering 

 them absolutely useless and unable to do any work. There are, 

 however, various degrees of the disease, from the extremely bad 

 case, roaring at the slightest movement, to the slight whistler 

 which the infirmity seems to affect very little in any work he may 

 be asked to perform. 



A horse which "grunts to the stick" may also perform his 

 ordinary work quite satisfactorily without the defect becoming 

 apparent, but as a rule they will be found not to thrive or " do" as 

 well as they should. Great care must be taken in trying horses, 

 and every chance given before they are condemned. I have come 

 across numerous cases where the horse has been condemned, and 

 found a tight collar responsible, causing the noise by pressing upon 

 the windpipe and thus precluding the free access of air; or again, 

 by a tight bearing rein pulling in the throat and altering the 

 natural position of the neck. The high-mettled horse will some- 

 times whistle in his gallop from courage, and a nervous horse will 

 frequently "bull" to the stick from pure fright. 



Breed has considerable influence with regard to the incidence of 

 the disease; the most frequently affected is the Thoroughbred. So 

 common has it become among racehorses and high-class hunters 

 that it has nearly amounted to a calamity. Some of our finest and 

 best-known racehorses of the immediate past and present are defec- 

 tive in their respiratory organs. Next in order to the Thorough- 

 bred comes the breeds more or less nearly related to them, such as 



