496 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



CHAPTER XVIIT 



WARRANTY.— ON SOUNDNESS OF THE HORSE. 



WARRANTY. 



When there are every day disputes arising 

 out of the consideration of the soundness of 

 the Horse, we think it of importance to lay 

 before our readers those points which consti- 

 tute it, as well as those which do not ; it 

 being of equal importance to both purchaser 

 and seller. We have consulted the best 

 authorities. The Editor of the " Horse " says : 



That Horse is sound in whom there is no 

 disease, nor any alteration of structure in any 

 part which impairs, or is likely to impair his 

 natural usefulness. That Horse is unsound 

 that labours under disease, or that has some 

 alteration of structure that does interfere, or is 

 likely to interfere with his natural usefulness^ 

 One Horse may possess great speed, but is 

 soon knocked up ; another will work all day, 

 but cannot be got beyond a snail's pace : one 

 with a heavy forehead is liable to stumble, 

 and is continually putting to hazard the neck 

 of his rider ; another, with an irritable consti- 

 tution and a washy make, loses his appetite 

 and begins to scour if a little extra work is 

 exacted from him. The term unsoundness 

 f arinot be applied to either of these ; it would 



be opening a door to endless wrangling. The 

 buyer can discern, or ought to know, whether 

 the form of the Horse is that which will render 

 him likely to suit his purpose, and he should 

 try him sufficiently to ascertain his natural 

 strength, endurance, and manner of going. 

 Unsoundness, we repeat, has reference only to 

 disease, or to that alteration of structure which 

 is connected with, or will produce disease, 

 and lessen the usefulness of the animal. 



These principles will be best illustrated by 

 a brief consideration of the usual supposed 

 causes of unsoundness. 



Broken-knees certainly do not constitute 

 unsoundness after the wounds are healed, un- 

 less they interfere with the action of the joint, 

 for the Horse may have fallen from mere acci- 

 dent, or through the fau^ of the rider; but 

 no person would buy a Horse with broken- 

 knees until he had thoroughly tried him, and 

 satisfied himself as to his form and action. 



Capped Hocks may be produced by lying 

 on an unevenly paved stable with a scanty 

 supply of litter, or by kicking ; in neither of 

 which cases would they constitute unsound- 

 ne.ss, though in the latter they would be an 

 indication of vice ; but in the majority o' 



