HORSE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



19 



viously to being shown, is so barbarously 

 flagellated, that under the influence of 

 terror of the further application of the 

 whip, his attention is withdrawn from the 

 disease, he feels not the lesser pain, but 

 trots off heedless of his lameness, or at 

 least showing it much less. Whenever 

 there is much punishment, or a threat of 

 it, while showing a horse, be sure there 



IS SOMETHING TO CONCEAL. 



In his trot, if the action is good, the 

 foot is boldly delivered with what may be 

 almost termed an allegro movement. Its 

 course is straightforward and downward, 

 not dishing to either side; the motion 

 should be from the elbow as well as the 

 knee; the hind legs gathered well under 

 the body, following with regularity and 

 precision ; the toes fairly raised from the 

 ground, and spread pretty accurately in 

 the impress of the fore feet; if they pass 

 beyond, they are likely to over-reach. 

 In the trot, he should go lightly with the 

 fore feet, but strike the ground energetic- 

 ally with the hind, taking a long, darting 

 stride, and shooting, as it were, the body 

 forward. 



In trotting, the horse that throws his 

 legs confusedly about should be rejected, 

 for though most young and uneducated 

 horses have an ungraceful and disorderly 

 action, the sluggard is never precise and 

 uniform in his trot. 



In criticising action, attention must be 

 paid to breed, but it should be sufficiently 

 high in a hack to clear all ordinary ir- 

 regularities on the ground; if it is very 

 high, look out for trace of having worn a 

 knee-cap. Be careful to observe that he 

 does not occasionally drop ; a casual giv- 

 ing way on either leg, in the trot, is a suf- 

 ficient hint to reject the animal; he will 

 certainly fail when put to work. 



Though the best horses may stumble, 

 if, after tripping, he springs out as if he 

 feared the whip or spur, you may justly 

 suspect him to be an old offender, which 

 will induce you to look to his knees and 

 head. Observe that he goes clear in all 

 his paces, and that one leg does not in- 

 terfere with the other; horses that go 

 very near are more likely to cut when 

 tired. 



• The carriage of the head and tail are 

 points to which the eye of a good judge 

 will be directed. If the tail goes to and 

 fro when in action, like the pendulum of 



I a clock, it is a good sign of blood and 

 steadiness. 



He should now be mounted, and the 

 trial be repeated on the stones or hard 

 road, or what is preferable, on a rough 

 and stony declivity; for there are many 

 cases of slight lameness which do not 

 show on soft ground, at a walking pace, 

 or when the horse is unburdened. If he 

 step away boldly, the toe in a direct line 

 with the body, the knee fairly bent, and 

 his foot up and planted firmly down 

 again on the ground, fearlessly and flat, 

 without any dropping of his head, you 

 may conclude him sound in action. His 

 hind legs, well lifted up and tucked well 

 under him, should follow his fore legs 

 with regularity ; and if in running him up 

 hill he goes without dragging his toe, you 

 may infer the same behind. In the gal- 

 lop, if he takes up his legs quick and 

 dashes in his haunches, not bringing his 

 hind legs after him, his action is good. 

 During this display of action, the exami- 

 nant will have an opportunity of judging 

 of the perfection of his wind ; if he does 

 not ride the animal himself, he should 

 stand close to the horse at the moment 

 he comes into the gallop. 



The thick-winded horse breathes with 

 difficulty and is soon distressed. The 

 flanks heave much and rapidly ; there is 

 some little noise ; but the laborious heav- 

 ing of the flank is the principal indica- 

 tion. A horse unused to exercise, or if 

 fat, or exercised on a full stomach, will 

 show symptoms of thick wind; and it 

 has been observed of great feeders, who 

 never breathe freely until they have gone 

 a mile or two, or begin to sweat, that 

 they are able to do more work than others 

 that do not labor under the same diffi- 

 culty. 



The wheezer, in addition to being thick- 

 winded, utters a sound like an asmathic 

 person when a little hurried. Wheezing 

 may frequently be heard while at rest in 

 the stable. 



The piper or whistler utters a shriller 

 sound than the wheezer, but it is only 

 heard after exercise, and that of some 

 continuance; a short gallop up hill is 

 sometimes necessary to develop it, but 

 the whistler is soon distressed. " Never 

 buy a whistler; he cannot improve on 

 your hand, and he is almost sure to get 

 worse," said Sir Henry Peyton to Nun- 



