298 Ma7iagement and Treatment of the Horse. 



knock over a sixpenny piece with their hind-feet. 

 See that the horse throws out its feet freely and 

 lightly, stand in front of it when it is trotted, 

 and notice if it has an inward gait of action ; 

 if so, it is sure to strike one leg against the 

 other and he liahle to fall, and will he a subject 

 for throwing splints. If the horse has an in- 

 ward gait of going, chalk the inside of its hoof 

 and then trot it ; if the chalk marks are on its 

 fetlock it will be a brusher, but if on the knee 

 joint it is a speedy-cutter, which is the worst 

 form of cutting, as the horse is apt to knock 

 one leg from under it with the other, the result 

 being a severe fall and broken knees to the 

 horse, and perhaps a broken neck to the rider 

 or driver. After the horse has been examined 

 in front, stand behind it whilst being walked 

 and trotted, and you will then be able to detect 

 the least uneasiness in its going, and ascertain 

 if it is a loose goer. Some horses have an out- 

 ward gait of going, and look as if they tried 

 to throw away their feet at every step; this 

 kind of action is objectionable, as a horse 

 with such an action soon tires on a journey. 

 Horses with a short confined step can never 

 have good action, and are always disagreeable 

 to ride. In walking, the knee should be mode- 

 rately bent, but only sufficiently so to enable 

 the horse to walk clear of the stones and other 

 objects he may meet with on the road, and 

 when the foot is set down, it should fall flat, so 

 that the toe does not strike the ground first. 



