FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



is so when his infirmities do not interfere with the 

 work at which you intend to use him. Thus an 

 animal which is quite lame is "usefully sound " 

 for slow work ; a hunter may be crippled in any 

 ways that do not affect his galloping and jumping. 

 But his eyes and wind must be sound. A carriage- 

 horse must trot sound, and be sound of wind and 

 eyes (although if one eye has by an accident been 

 destroyed, it rarely affects usefulness). A saddle- 

 horse must be useable as such. Sprung knees 

 in all these cases are in the nature of blemishes 

 only, and, opinion to the contrary, the strongest 

 knee is the natural " buck-knee/' Such animals 

 are generally particularly sure-footed and safe on 

 their feet. 



A horse with navicular disease, quarter-crack, 

 corns, quittor, etc., is usefully sound for certain 

 work. The opinion of the veterinary is the safest 

 guide in all such matters, and is what you pay 

 him to express. 



