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CHAPTER VII. 



Vice. 



Differences of opinion are continually arising 

 as to what constitutes vice, and the relationship 

 between vice and unsoundness. Obviously, a horse 

 may be perfectly sound yet vicious, and such 

 viciousness may interfere with the utility of the 

 animal. If so, it may be argued that this con- 

 stitutes unsoundness. In all probabiHty there has 

 been more litigation upon the subject of vice, and 

 its bearing upon warranty as to soundness, than 

 any other subjects in connection with horse trans- 

 actions. When a man buys a horse with a warranty 

 as to its freedom from vice, such warranty neces- 

 sarily includes all objectionable practices, both in 

 and out of harness, and these in the horse are by 

 no means few. Most veterinarians look upon crib- 

 biting, wind-sucking, and weaving, as vicious 

 practices, and as vice may predispose to disease, 

 they usually reject the animal on the ground of 

 unsoundness. Wind-sucking renders the animal 



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