16 LESSONS IN HORSE JUDGING. 



and press on the nerve. This state of things usually 

 lasts from one to three weeks, or until the ' cold' 

 disappears. The lesson we thus learn is this : see 

 that the nostrils expand when the horse comes to 

 exert himself, and also see that his lips are not 

 swinging about like pendulums. Very old horses 

 sometimes have pendulous lips from debility. If 

 you are buying such a one give him a feed of ha}^ 

 and watch him to see if he can grasp the hay with 

 his lips or if he has to push his nose into it and 

 seize it with his teeth. If he has to do this don't 

 buy him, because he will spoil more food than he 

 eats from it dropping out of his mouth when chew- 

 ing: he will take twice the time to feed, and he 

 can never keep his condition. Sometimes he swings 

 the lips about in trying to seize a morsel, showing 

 that some power in them remains. If this be so, 

 present a pail of water to him and watch him drink, 

 and see if he can purse his lips naturally, or if they 

 are so powerless that he has to dip his whole muzzle 

 into the water nearly up to his e^^es. If he cannot 

 keep his lips pursed and so keep up a steady drink- 

 ing effort, don't buy him. 



15. — Next, hold his nostrils open and look inside. 

 The pink, or it may be bluish red membrane you 

 see, ought to be covered with spots of water like 

 dew. There ought not to be any ulcers or abrasions 

 to be seen, or ' raw' spots of any kind. You will 

 always, however, find a very small opening like a 



