BUYING 



Buying. — When purchasing a horse the inexperienced 

 buyer should bear well in mind the moral of the legal axiom 

 " caveat emptor" as pitfalls beset the inexperienced on every 

 side. It unfortunately happens, however, that most people 

 who are in want of a horse regard themselves as judges, not 

 merely of conformation, but of soundness, and retain this 

 opinion until they discover that they have been victims of 

 a misplaced confidence in their own judgment. Occasion- 

 ally, too, a prospective purchaser relies upon the advice of a 

 friend as ignorant as himself, but who likewise professes to 

 know all about horses, and in such cases the result is usu- 

 ally disastrous. The best way for a man who possesses no 

 knowledge of horse-flesh to proceed is to go to a dealer whose 

 character stands high — there are many of these — and whose 

 position would prevent him being party to a fraud ; the addi- 

 tional price he may have to pay will probably be justified 

 by results ; or, failing this, he may receive assistance from the 

 head of one or other of the great firms that hold periodical 

 sales of horses. Unless a person is a thoroughly practical 

 judge and possesses a knowledge of veterinary practice, he 

 should be very careful in dealing with private individuals 

 who advertise horses, and particularly with those who make 

 it a practice to do so. Some of these people are undoubtedly 

 perfectly honest, but, on the other hand, a considerable 

 proportion of them are quite the reverse ; and hence the 

 inexperienced are certain to receive better treatment at the 

 hands of an avowed horse-dealer or breeder who has a 

 reputation to lose. 



In buying a horse, in addition to the question of sound- 

 ness there are certain objectionable points or malformations 

 which, excepting under exceptional circumstances, should 

 cause the purchaser to seriously consider the rejection of the 

 animal. Amongst these may be enumerated short, straight 

 shoulders, weak or straight pasterns, in-turned and out- 

 turned toes, a long back, weak loins, a short thick neck, 

 a pig eye, flat sides, sickle hocks, cow hocks, thin, odd, 

 or contracted feet, and (for riding purposes) low withers. 



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