HORSE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



*5 



stall till cool ; for there is more than one 

 species of lameness, which becomes less 

 apparent after exercise, and where there 

 is a tendency to swelled legs, a smart trot 

 and grooming will fine his legs and render 

 them clean. 



This precautionary measure is more 

 especially to be taken when you suspect 

 your man ; for in horse-buying we have 

 to deal with gentry who are acquainted 

 with the science of imposition in all its 

 ramifications. A stable examination is 

 the best for observing indications of wind- 

 sucking, crib-biting, chronic cough, the 

 state of the respiration, and for discover- 

 ing vice. 



For this purpose always have a horse 

 shown quietly ; when there is much noise 

 and bustle there is generally something 

 wrong, and when the animal is agitated, 

 slight lameness will escape the eye. 



The first thing to be observed is that 

 when standing evenly the weight is thrown 

 equally on both feet. If there be any 

 complaint in the fore feet, one will prob- 

 ably be " pointed," that is, extended be- 

 fore the other, or he will frequently alter 

 the position of them, taking one up, and 

 setting the other down; or the hind legs 

 will be brought under the body to relieve 

 the fore feet of some portion of the weight. 

 Any of these symptoms will direct your 

 attention to the feet when you see him 

 out. 



To judge of his respiration, it is neces- 

 sary to be acquainted with the indications 

 of health. Observe if the flank alternately 

 rises and falls with regularity. In health 

 the respiration of the horse is from four 

 to eight per minute, average six in the 

 day time ; during sleep it is seldom more 

 than four. If quicker than ordinary, it 

 betokens present fever ; other symptoms 

 will be developed, such as increased 

 pulse, heat of mouth and dullness, while 

 the delicate pink appearance which the 

 membrane covering the partition of the 

 nostrils assumes in health, will be in- 

 creased in color. 



But if none of these symptoms of ill 

 health are present, and yet the horse 

 heaves at the flank more than ordinary, 

 if the weather be moderate, and the sta- 

 ble not oppressively hot, it is probable 

 such a horse is thick-winded. 



When inspiration appears to be per- 

 formed readily and quickly as in health 



by a single action, but expiration with 

 difficulty by an irregular and prolonged 

 movement, or double action, the respira- 

 tory muscles appearing as if interrupted 

 in the act of expelling the air, and then 

 the flank drops suddenly, it is a symptom 

 of broken wind. His cough should then 

 be tried. The cough of a broken- winded 

 horse is a peculiar Tow, hollow grunt, diffi- 

 cult to describe, but when once heard 

 easily recognized. 



The cough can generally be elicited 

 by pinching the larynx or trachea, though 

 occasionally this fails, for some sound as 

 well as broken-winded horses cannot be 

 made to cough at all. In these cases, 

 when there is any irregularity in the 

 movement of the flank, which would lead 

 to the suspicion of broken wind, and 

 there is unusual hardness of the wind- 

 pipe, which does not give way on pinch- 

 ing, it may be taken as a symptom of 

 disorganization, in addition to the broken 

 wind. 



If the hair is rubbed off in some, espe- 

 cially about the head, flanks and tail, or 

 he is observed rubbing himself against 

 the sides of the stall, there is danger of 

 his being mangy; and in this case his 

 coat will be found rough and staring. 



The absence of the vice of kicking and 

 biting may be inferred from the manner 

 of the groom when entering the stall, 

 and by the quiet method with which he 

 unclothes and dusts him over and combs 

 out his mane and tail. If he be a biter, 

 his head will probably be tied short to 

 the neck, or the groom will seize hold of 

 him short by the halter or bridle, some- 

 times giving him a shake or looking 

 sternly at him. Desire to see his hind 

 and fore feet, and by the manner in which 

 he permits the groom to lift them, a guess 

 may be made as to his quietness to groom 

 his heels or shoe. 



While the horse is in the act of being led 

 out of the stable to the light, closely ob- 

 serve his manner and action ; if the ears 

 move in quick changes of direction, as if 

 alarmed at every noise, and he hangs 

 back on the halter, raising his feet higher 

 than ordinary, and putting them down as 

 if fearful and uncertain of his step, it 

 leads us to suspect his eyes, though some- 

 times these symptoms will be observed 

 when the eyes are perfect, if the stable 

 has been a dark one. 



