28 Veterhiary Medicine. 



The Symptoms \?ixy greatly iu different cases. One animal 

 stands stock-still propping his legs outward and absolutely re- 

 fusing to budge. This may occur even in the stall when it is 

 attempted to take the animal out. When on the road he is 

 usually willing to turn and go back, but no persuasion by voice 

 or whip can force him forward. 



Other horses make ineffective plunges forward but never throw 

 weight enough into the collar to overcome any resistance. 



Still others stamp, bite, throw themselves to one side rather 

 than forward, rear up, strike with the fore feet, and if whipped 

 kick with the hind. Some will throw themselves down and 

 struggle in this condition. 



Under the saddle the animal may crowd against a wall, rear, 

 kick, buck or even throw himself down in his efforts to dis- 

 lodge the rider. These violent manifestations li(>wever rather 

 belong to vice than mere balking. Trembling, perspiration, 

 frequent rejection of urine, and general acceleration of pulse 

 and breathing may manifest a severe nervous disorder. 



Diagnosis. It is often important to pronounce upon the exact 

 nature of this trouble so as to determine whether the seller is re- 

 sponsible for a breach of warranty given or implied. As regards 

 implied warranty a sound price for an animal sold to do a given 

 kind of work implies a mutual understanding that the animal is 

 not physically or psychically incapacitated for such work. 



The balking horse is one that obstinately refuses to perform 

 a piece of work for which his physical condition seems to be well 

 adapted. The iviUfiilness of the refusal is the important feature. 

 In case of such a serious drawback to the value of a horse, the 

 presumption of fraud on the part of the seller is unavoidable, .in 

 case he failed to mention the habit to the purchaser, but of course 

 this is even more emphatically certified if he has warranted the 

 animal as 3. good zvorker, or kind, or tnie in zvork. 



On the other hand he cannot be held responsible for the fail- 

 ure to perform an act in case the horse has been overloaded when 

 fat or out of condition, or if he has sores on back, withers or 

 shoulders, a badly fitting collar, a severe or large clumsy bit, or 

 sores on the lower jaw, or indeed any temporary physical in- 

 firmity, to which the balking can be fairly attributed. 



Balking is not to be confounded with nervous affections 



