Hints Oil Binjing and Selling Uorses. 



close together, or if the hoof be sunken in, the horse has pr-)- 

 bably had chronic laminitis, which is liable to recur. White 

 feet are most liable to disease. 



VIOLENT TEMPER may be expected if the bones of the face 

 from the eyes downwards are concave, or what is called deer 

 shaped, specially with Arabs. Also of chestnut-coloured horses, 

 because that colour only grows on thin skins easily irritated. 



COLOUR is a matter of taste, but whatever it be, the extre- 

 mities should be darker than the body is ; a bay with dark points 

 is usually preferred. White and grey are bad for officers as at- 

 tracting the enemy's fire, and also the hairs come off on to the 

 rider's clothes. Roans are generally hardy. It is a curious fact 

 that no important race was ever won by a black horse. Arabs 

 believe that a chestnut with white stocking on near (or left) fore- 

 leg is very safe, whereas the stocking on the off fore would 

 be just the reverse. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. A weight carrier must have 

 a short back, short pasterns, and be what is called well ribbed 

 home, i.e., ribs reaching to within a short distance of the 

 haunch bone. If muscles of tail be weak, so probably are those 

 of the body. A curly mane shows a horse is not thoroughbred. 

 If an Arab has a thick bushy tail and coarse rough hair on 

 mane it is loAvbred, though a thin tail does not prove the con- 

 trary, as it may have been caused artificially. Dishonest 

 dealers can conceal broken wind by giving a little shot (as the 

 gastric acid dissolves some of the lead, which thsn acts as a seda- 

 tive to the gastric nerves), blow out the hollows above the eyes 

 and mark the teeth of an old horse to reduce the signs of age, 

 and play many tricks to deceive the inexperienced. 



MARES do very well for district work, but are not suitable for 

 Parade, as they make horses unsteady, if for no other reason. 

 There is no fixed rule for their getting what is called " in use." 

 Some are only so once or twice a year, others every fortnight 

 throughout the spring, but the majority at intervals of two to 

 three months. It is \ery unpleasant to drive or ride them 

 when in that condition. Mares take 11 months for 

 pregnancy, and should not be worked for the last three, and 

 only slowly before that. 



MARCHING A HORSE. After purchase, it may be necessary 

 to send a horse under charge of a syce for a long journey by 

 road ; for instance, from Calcutta to Cuttack. If so, give the 

 syce an open letter addressed to all officials along the route 

 requesting that assistance may be rendered if required, 

 adding that you will gladly repay any expenses thereby 



