DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 659 



ehould it ever occur that from storms, or from the mare's " coming in " out of 

 the ordinary season, she should have a double stall or a barn floor, well bedded, 

 entirely to herself at ^ch time, together with the same watchful care to avoid 

 accidents, that is above recommended, with which no danger generally need be 

 apprehended. 



How to Choose or Buy a Horse.— The following simple rules will 

 be found useful to all parties about to buy a horse: 



I. Never take the seller's word; if dishonest he will be sure to cheat you; 

 if disposed to be fair, he may have been the dupe of another, and will deceive 

 you through representations which cannot be relied upon. 



II. If you trust the horse's mouth for his age, observe well the rules given 

 below, for that purpose. 



III. Never buy a horse while in motion; watch him while he stands at 

 rest, and you will discover his weak points. If sound he will stand squarely 

 on his limbs without moving any of them, the feet planted flat upon the ground, 

 with legs plump and naturally poised. If one foot is thrown forward with the 

 toe pointing to the ground and the heel raised; or if the foot is lifted from the 

 ground and the weight taken from it, disease of the navicular bone may be sus- 

 pected, or at least, tenderness, which is precursor of disease. If the foot is 

 thrown out, the toe raised and the heel brought down, the horse has suffered 

 from laminitis, founder or fever in the feet, or the back sinews have been 

 sprained, and he is of little future value. When the feet are all drawn together 

 beneath the horse, if there has been no disease there is a misplacement of the 

 limbs, at least, and a weak disposition of the muscles. If the horse stands with 

 his feet spread out, or straddles with the hind legs, there is weakness of the 

 loins, and the kidneys are disordered. 



IV. Never buy a horse with a bluish or milkish cast in the eyes. They 

 indicate a constitutional tendency to ophthalmia (soreness or weak eyes) moon 

 blindness, etc. 



V. Never have anything to do with a horse who keeps his ears thrown 

 back. It is an invariable indication of bad temper. 



VI. If a horse's hind legs are scarred the fact denotes that he is a kicker. 



VII. If the knees are blemished the horse is apt to stumble. 



VIII. When the skin is rough and harsh, and does not move easily and 

 smoothly to the touch, the horse is a heavy eater, and his digestion is bad. 



IX. Avoid a horse whose respiratory organs are at all impaired. If the 

 ear is placed at the side of the heart, and a whizzing sound is heard, it is an 

 indication of trouble. Let him go. 



How to Judge the Age of a Horse.— The age of a horse, up to a 

 certain period, is generally determined by his teeth. There are no two opinions 

 alike on this point. But as almost every writer on this subject has some pet 

 theory of his own, there are probably no two writers whose opinions agree as 

 to the exact manner of arriving at a horse's age after it has attained the age of 

 5 years. For the edification of our readers, we give from " Kendall's Treatise 

 on the Horse," the following concise rules, which will be found generally cor 

 rect : 



