22 THE NEW POCKET FARRIER. 



of a horse, extending in some cases to the very sheath 

 under the belly, and is mortal to horses if they are not 

 soon relieved. 



In going to purchase, put your hand between his 

 fore-legs, and you can very readily feel if he has or has 

 not such a swelling. Anticor proceeds from different 

 causes, viz. the remains of an old distemper which was 

 never perfectly cured, or after which the horse was too 

 soon put to labour; from too much heat contracted in 

 the stable, by being kept up a long time without airing, 

 or from having lost too large a quantity of blood in what 

 part soever the vein was opened. When you touch a 

 swelling of this kind, the impressions of the fingers 

 remain for some time, as if you had made them in a 

 bit of puff paste, filling up again by degrees as the paste 

 would rise. This swelling contains bloody water, that 

 insinuates between the flesh and the skin, and proves 

 that all the blood in the veins is corrupted. 



THE THIGHS AND LEGS. 



See that the fore-thighs be rush grown, well horned 

 within, sinewed, fleshy and outswelling; those being 

 signs of strength, as the contrary are of weakness. If 

 his knees bear a proportion to each other, be lean, 

 sinewy, and close knit, they are good ; but if one is 

 bigger or rounder than the other, the horse has received 

 mischief; if they are gross, he is gouty, and if he has 

 scars, or the hair be broken, beware of a stumbling jade, 

 and perpetual fallen 



The hind parts, from the hip-bone to the hock, should 

 be of great length ; the hind legs should be full of sinew, 

 clear of knots, and rather crooked than straight in the 

 hock. Be careful to avoid buying a horse knock-kneed, 



