10 LAMENESS. 



trot as the discloser of lameness, it is of consequence that the pace, 

 to render the trial efficient, be conducted in a manner that promises 

 to afford, the most information, the simple and ordinary rules for 

 which are as follow : — 



I. Let the horse to be examined for lameness be led out of the 

 stable in a snaffle bridle, the rein of which is already carried over 

 his head ; and let the man who is to run the horse hold the bridle- 

 rein at that distance from his mouth that will permit the animal 

 to trot without any check or restraint whatever of his head, the 

 object being to suffer or induce him to shew, by the up and 

 down motions either of his head or of his croup, as well as by his 

 manner of going altogether, any limping or lameness he may have 

 to complain of, and thereby to put the examiner in possession of 

 the locality or seat, if not of the nature, of his complaint. 



II. The horse ought to be run the moment he has quitted his 

 stable. By so doing we shall, probably, obtain a steady run before 

 the commencement of those gambols which a high-fed horse com- 

 ing fresh out of the stable is almost sure to display, and which too 

 often continue, much to our annoyance, if not to the defeat of our 

 purpose. Another reason for the run being given immediately is, 

 that any stiffness or indication of lameness the animal may hap- 

 pen to manifest in his first movements, and which on occasions it 

 is of so much consequence we should take cognizance of, may not 

 through previous walking or jumping about be diminished or dis- 

 sipated. Should the animal already have commenced his frolics, 

 he may often be steadied down by being mounted. Indeed, there 

 are some examiners who prefer having the horse under examina- 

 tion for lameness ridden, to his being run in hand ; and on occa- 

 sions the practice is a commendable one, the weight telling to 

 the manifestation of the lameness : the objections to riding, in a 

 general way, being, that the circumstance of being mounted has a 

 tendency to raise the metal of a horse otherwise quiet, and so dis- 

 pose him less to shew lameness ; and that the restriction his head 

 is put under by the bridle-hand of the rider is apt to check or pre- 

 vent his ''dropping" to the extent he otherwise would. There 

 are, however, lamenesses which require for their development that 

 the limbs be thrown into sharp work, or be made to perform some 



