HOW TO BUY AKD SELL. 69 



Where horses are well-bred, dullness is more likely to 

 arise from a contraction of the bones than from a diminu- 

 tive nostril. 



Where speed and continuous labor, therefore, are re- 

 quired, the above two provocations to dullness should be 

 well looked into: even in thorough-bred horses we find 

 some imperfection or other; and it should be borne in 

 mind that a horse falling short of qualities sufficient for 

 making hmi a first-rate racer, may make a good country 

 hunter, or hackney. For the hundredth time I say — 

 Adapt a horse to the work best suited to his condition, 

 and all will be well. Of course this plan will sometimes 

 alter a horse's class, but, being equal to the work of the 

 class into wdiicli he is drafted, he is Soukd. 



Where disease creates dullness, he is Un^sound. 



MALFORMATIONS. 



Malformations arc not an unsoundness unless the horse 

 is diseased or lame, or is prevented from doing the w^ork 

 of the class to w^hich he belongs. 



Where there is any doubt of the horse's ability to stand 

 the work of his class upon the supposition that the af- 

 fected part has not been permanently healed, the buyer is 

 naturally anxious to try the horse before he purchases 

 it. Now, as there seems to be very absurd ideas enter- 

 tained by many persons as to what may be done with 

 horses on trial, and as the subject is of much importance 

 to both buyer and seller, perhaps I cannot do better than 

 devote some space to it. 



THE TRIAL. 



Having satisfied yourself upon the general merits of the 

 horse, try him, and, whilst trying him, use him fairly, 



