LESSONS IN HORSE JUDGING. Ill 



rest, the ratio in health is soon re-estabhshed. In 

 very small horses, such as Shetland ponies, the 

 pulse may be forty or forty-four per minute, and 

 the breathing eleven, but there is stiU the ratio 

 1 — 4: in health. Many things disturb this ratio — 

 disease, fright, grief, joy, &c. — by quickening the 

 pulse, and affecting less the breathing. 



In order to acquire dexterity in judging the 

 ^ wind ' it is best to get a horse known to have 

 perfect Svind' into a grass field, and have him 

 slowly trotted round you in a circle about the 

 size of an ordinary horse-rider's circus. Noise 

 must necessarily be made in breathing, but there 

 ought to be no distress exhibited, no difficulty in 

 getting breath, no noises except soft blowing — no 

 whisthng or grunting. After a reasonable time, 

 long before the animal shows signs of distress, he 

 should be stopped, and notice be taken liow long 

 the breathing is in quieting down. This time is 

 easily judged if the examiner will judge the 

 horse by himself — if healthy — as the same length 

 of time is required after the same proportion of 

 exertion in the two cases. In the autumn when 

 the horse has on a long coat he will feel distress 

 earlier, and congestion of the lungs will be more 

 easily induced. If exercise be not followed by 

 quieted respiration, some defect is present. Of 

 course, if undue exercise has been taken, then 

 the lungs, although healthy, may have become 

 congested. Again, attention should be given to 

 the movements of the ribs on either side. The 

 ribs should expand freely on both sides. In some 

 diseases of the lungs one may become ' deaf, ' or a 



