Diseases to Look for in Buying a Horse. 287 



this is a point the coper cannot entirely do away 

 with; the horse's breath should be as sweet as 

 new-mown hay. If it has a foetid smell and a 

 discharge from the left nostril only, then it is 

 glanders without a doubt; but if the discharge 

 is from both nostrils, you may conclude that it 

 is a case of nasal gleet. The coper will tell you 

 that it is only a cold the animal has, but depend 

 upon it if you buy it you will have bought a 

 handful of trouble. The tongue should be par- 

 ticularly looked at to ascertain if it has met with 

 any injury from the bit. If you find that it has 

 the appearance of having been cut across, make 

 up your mind it is a puller ; if, when examining 

 the mouth, there is a ropy saliva from the mouth 

 hanging in strings, be sure there is a wound in 

 the mouth, and examine carefully to find out if 

 it is of a recent date or an old and cankered 

 wound. Next look carefully at the eyes for gutta 

 Serena and other affections of blindness ; see that 

 the withers are not fistulous ; carefully scrutinize 

 the knees by lifting up the legs and bending the 

 knees in an upward form; if they have been 

 broken ever so slightly, this will reveal the scar. 

 If you find a small scar, look to the manner the 

 horse wears its shoes, and if you find the toe 

 worn away and the other part of the shoe in 

 good condition, look out for a stumbler, and a 

 stumbling horse is liable to come down at any 

 moment. Examine the legs carefully below the 

 knee for splint and grogginess, by placing the 

 horse's feet on the lowest ground; look care- 

 fully to the pastern joint, and notice particularly 



