^3* 



consequently more difBcuIt to bend. Of all 

 the fore joints, the knee suffers most when a 

 horse falls. The only safe way to ride a 

 broken kneed horse is to put him on his mettle, 

 and to keep him on the canter, and then there 

 is but little to apprehend ; but he never should 

 be suffered to trot, particularly in an easy 

 cr careless manner. Many persons have lost 

 their lives for vi^ant of knowledge in choosing 

 a saddle horse, and by not being aware of the 

 danger of riding a broken kneed one, particu- 

 larly if the rider be heavy ; for a great weight 

 is sure to occasion a horse's falling, unless he 

 be particularly sure-footed. A horse that has 

 been down may be used with a degree of 

 safety in harness, as he has no weight on his 

 shoulders -, but if it can be avoided, it were 

 better never to use such a one as a saddle horse. 

 When a dealer purchases a horse that has been 

 down, he frequently passes him off to some 

 one who knows nothing of the evil conse- 

 quences of such a blemish, by saying that it 

 was an accident in hunting, from the stump ot 

 a bush, or from some similar cause j but it 

 were adviseable never to have any thing to do 

 with a horse of this description, or that has 

 e6 



