Bis hoping. 289 



rejecting the purchase. Sweeping as my readers 

 may think this condemnation, it is unfortu- 

 nately too true, that this class of men are not 

 to be depended upon, and considering the risks 

 that they themselves are liable to, it is not to 

 be wondered at. If the legs show any signs 

 of having been bandaged, a well-grounded sus- 

 picion may be entertained that all is not right. 

 Fay particular attention to the state of the 

 animaPs wind, for if the animal is touched in 

 the wind he is sure to be ^^ loaded" before going 

 into a fair. Perhaps my readers may misunder- 

 stand the word ^'loaded." This is another trick 

 of the unprincipled professional horse coper. 

 When they have a horse broken-winded which 

 they wish to sell, they generally contrive to get 

 some one to make a *'swop," i.e. exchange; by 

 doing so they steer clear of the law, and the 

 animal is not returnable. When they are about 

 bringing the horse out of the stable, they load 

 him. This is done by making up a quarter of 

 a pound of shot into a ball with soap, and 

 putting it down the animal's throat. This load- 

 ing is done to bear down the animaPs stomach, 

 and give temporary relief to the animaPs lungs, 

 and many a poor man has found out next day 

 that he has exchanged a useful horse and given 

 several pounds to boot for an animal that is not 

 worth fifty shillings. 



Another trick which is carried on to a con- 

 siderable extent is the art of " bishoping." This 

 is a trick which takes its name from an un- 

 principled dealer of olden times, who was sup- 



19 



