192 The Management and Treatment of the Ho 



rse, 



will prick its ears forward and look at any object it is 

 about to pass in a nervous manner, being unable 

 to determine what the object may be. Thoughtless 

 drivers will whip the horse for this, causing the 

 animal to have two fears to contend with instead 

 of one ; its indistinct vision makes it fear passing 

 objects, and being nervous at the object it also expects 

 the whip, will start suddenly on one side and then 

 set off at a gallop. On the other hand, if the cornea 

 be flat and small the rays may not be sufficiently 

 convergent, and consequently will render the vision 

 imperfect, and as it cannot see distinctly it will 

 suddenly stop upon coming unawares upon any 

 object it does not understand, and in all proba- 

 bility bolt round to the danger of the rider or driver's 

 neck. A horse is unsafe with either of these defects, 

 both in riding and driving. The cornea should there- 

 fore be moderately convex, perfectly transparent, and 

 totally free from all opacity or cloudiness over its entire 

 surface. As I have said before, the best method of 

 examining the eye ot the horse is to place the cheek 

 of the scrutinizer close to the cheek of the horse, both 

 behind and under the eye. The latter position is the 

 most advantageous to see it thoroughly. The open 

 air is not favourable for the examiner (hence 

 dealers knowing the horse has defective vision are 

 always anxious to bring them out to the light). The 

 head of the horse should be a little within the door of 

 the stable, and by looking outwards, any defect is 

 rendered more visible. If any faint, whitish, milk- 

 like streaks be noticed passing over the cornea, it is 



