PURCHASINO.] 



3i()i)i:iiX A' i:ti:ki XA i:v n: ac ruM^.. 



[PUBCUASINQ. 



being. The motive of this was to render them 

 active, ready, ami livily on a show, and to hido 

 defoi'ts; and, as an oxa<,'i;oration of this mon- 

 strous barbarity, the unfortunate cripples had 

 even an additional share of this dise-iplino, 

 being whipped and beaten most cruelly for put- 

 ting out, in order to ease, a crippled limb. This 

 was a constant practice at the repositories, 

 with the poor worn-out machiners and post 

 hacks ; and I have related, in my own treatise, 

 the case of a beautiful mare — so totally worn 

 out, that every step she took was obviously 

 attended with acute torture — whipped, and cut, 

 and beaten, and checked with the curb, witli all 

 the force that a powerful ruffian could exert, 

 whilst the tears were dropping from her sight- 

 less eyes." 



To return. The horse being led out, 

 will most probably be placed upon rising 

 ground, for the purpose of showing his fore 

 quarters to advantage, which, also, affords the 

 buyer an opportunity of another examination 

 in a good light. Now is the time for regarding 

 whether he be sound or not ; for though the 

 dealer may declare that he is as sound as a 

 hell, still we should disregard what he may say 

 on that subject, and judge for ourselves. 



Having spoken of the eyes, we must now 

 regard his wind. If good, on being nipped in 

 the gullet, he will utter a noise that cannot 

 fail to strike the ear as the emission of a sound 

 pair of lungs ; but if these are diseased, he will 

 give vent to a dry, husky, short cough. "We 

 have, however, seen a strong man sometimes 

 pinch the gullet of a horse with all his might, 

 without being able to make him cough. There 

 IS another way of detecting a broken-winded 

 animal, and that is by directing attention to 

 bis flanks ; which, under such circumstances, 

 will work either much quicker than ordinarily, 

 or heave deeply, and with great irregularity. 



Besides these, there are two other defects, 

 which, though not anything like so distressing 

 to the animal itself, are disagreeable to hear. 

 Those horses affected with them go under the 

 denomination of "whistlers," and "roarers." 

 The first may be known by the peculiar 

 wheezing he is addicted to, when put to sudden 

 or long-continued exertion; and the other by his 

 making a roaring Boise under similar circum- 

 stances. Either will display itself by the pur- 

 chaser giving him a smart cut with his whip. 



After niai^iii:^ r, itain that there is no en- 

 largement of the glands, tiuit tlie nostrils are 

 fre(! from any fa'tid smell, and that that most 

 terrible of all diseases, the glanders, may not 

 be apprehended, pass tlie hand down his legs, 

 and if any unnatural protuberance or pufli- 

 ness is found, or if, in feeling first one leg and 

 then the other, any difference between them 

 is discovered, disease, moro or less, is present. 

 Tiie animal may not bo lame, but ho is not 

 clean upon his legs. Splints, windgalla, and 

 ringbones, may be present without occasioning 

 lameness ; but they are all unnatural, are con- 

 sidered blemishes, and are all to be regarded 

 with a suspicious eye, as either denoting past 

 hard work, or betokening future evils. On 

 the same principle, a horse may have a spavin, 

 and be only stiff from it at starting ; or he may 

 have a curb, or a thorough-pin, and be per- 

 fectly sound ; but these are still blemishes, 

 and, as such, detract from his intrinsic value. 



Tiie horse is next trotted in hand, or ridden ; 

 during which, the first look-out will be to dis- 

 cover whether he bends his knees sufficiently, 

 and goes clear of both hind and fore legs; 

 whether he goes wide enough behind, and 

 whether his feet stand straight. His reining 

 may then be observed, to see in what state he 

 carries his head, whether be appears light in 

 hand, or otherwise. Should he thrust out his 

 head, he will go heavy in hand. Tlie mode in 

 which be is shod should also be well observed. 

 A second-hand horse, or one which bas been 

 a considerable time in work, may be warranted 

 sound ; but care should be used to observe 

 whether be knuckles with bent knees, or has 

 any other impending cause of unsoundness. 

 Animals which appear stale and dingy in their 

 coats, with perhaps a mixture of grey hairs; 

 and one low in flesh, and dull, with his coat 

 'dead, may be suspected of rottenness. There 

 may be no objection to buying a horse merely 

 because he is low in condition. The appear- 

 ance of such an animal will be readily per- 

 ceived ; and a horse merely suffering from not 

 having had a kind and generous master, oughb 

 not to prove an impediment to his again having 

 one. Indeed, we have often felt great pleasure 

 in restoring a horse which has sufl'ered from 

 neglect, to good condition. Many a good one 

 has been restored, even after be bad been sent 

 to the knackers. 



IGO 



