BREEDS OF HORSES 99 



location. Not finding an unsoundness present he accounts the part 

 sound. If all parts are found to be sound, the animal is certified to as 

 sound. There is no such condition as serviceably sound. A horse is 

 either sound, or unsound. He may be too unsound to work, or able 

 to work despite unsoundness. The seriousness of the particular un- 

 soundness present is to be estimated by the judge and for that inti- 

 mate knowledge and experience are necessary. 



For breeding purposes any disease is serious. A disease con- 

 sidered hereditary is most serious. A distortion, deformity or blem- 

 ish, due to accident, is not serious on the score of transmissibility, 

 but depreciates sale value. In work horses the degree to which a 

 disease or unsoundness is temporary or permanent and likely to de- 

 tract from serviceability for work, must <be carefully considered. A 

 horse may be afflicted with strangles (distemper) and recover per- 

 fectly ; or the attack may pass off, but leave the animal a roarer. The 

 attack of strangles would constitute a temporary unsoundness; the 

 roaring a permanent and serious unsoundness in a work animal. 

 In a breeding animal it should constitute an unsoundness unfitting 

 the horse for breeding purposes. A large barb wire cut scar would 

 ordinarily be considered a blemish or eye sore; but should it have 

 caused permanent lameness it would 'be a serious unsoundness in 

 a work animal. In a breeding animal, not used for work, the blem- 

 ish and even the lameness, would be of slight gravity, not being 

 transmissible to progeny. 



COMMON UNSOUNDNESSES TO BE NOTED. 



Having learned how to judge the various parts of the horse's 

 exterior, as regards correctness of form, the student should next 

 acquire a fair degree of skill in detecting the more common and 

 serious unsoundnesses. A judge should describe and show the loca- 

 tion of each and, when possible, demonstrate from affected animals. 

 The diseases and unsoundnesses should, as follows, be studied ac- 

 cording to each part involved: 



Head. Poll evil is an enlargement of the poll, containing or 

 discharing pus; due to bruise; not hereditary; a serious unsound- 

 ness; often difficult to cure; recovered case may leave neck perma- 

 nently stiff. Look for scars. 



Eyes. Test for blindness. Pupil of the eye should contract in 

 the light. Cloudiness or opacity denote moon blindness (periodic 

 ophthalmia) or cataract. Specks may be due to injuries; unimpor- 

 tant if the sight is not impaired thereby. 



Ears. Excessive mobility may indicate impaired vision, vi- 

 ciousness, or nervousness; lack of mobility may indicate deafness, 

 or tetanus (lock jaw). Base of ear sometimes seat of troublesome 

 discharging fistula. 



Muzzle. Nostrils should be free from discharge of chronic 

 catarrh or glanders. Sometimes plugged with sponge to hide roar- 

 ing. Lining membrane should be healthy pink in color; free from 

 ulcers, or purple spots or bad smelling discharge. Lips not torn; 

 free from chronic sores from bit at angle of mouth. 



