THE SO-CALLED "INCAPACITATING VICES." 217 



As heavy quadrupeds are likely to be similarly diseased, the carter 

 should be informed of the fact, and cautioned against ever riding on the 

 backs of his teamsters. So also with lighter animals, the groom should 

 be forbidden to mount the horses which are very liable to this misfor- 

 tune. The shafts of a cart are of course calculated to aggravate this 

 malady ; but such a horse may perform easy or reasonable labor between 

 the chains for a long succession of years ; only, when the pull is severe, 

 the driver should go to the head of the disordered teamster, to prevent 

 any undue strain upon the back, or it would be certainly better if, during 

 the period of exertion, the chains were unhooked. 



It is strange, when the importance of the spine to the utility of the 

 animal is considered, and when the well-known fact is regarded that the 

 lowest class of copers make a species of property out of horses suifering 

 from rick of the back, that this particular region receives no special 

 attention during a quadruped's soundness being subjected to the test of 

 an ordinary veterinary examination 1 The creature'^s head, tail, eyes, 

 teeth, shoulders, haunches, limbs, feet, etc. would all be scrupulously 

 investigated ; but the back, on the soundness of which the utility of the 

 body must depend, would probably be only honored with a passing notice. 



Animals, however, which are ricked in the back, are generally sold 

 through one of those Horse Auction Marts that abound in the metropolis. 

 Such places offer great facilities to dishonest practices, and afford much 

 encouragement to the class of copers. These persons never care to pos- • 

 sess a sound horse. They have always some bargain ready to be 

 imposed upon a novice ; and the ignorant in horse flesh are ever eager 

 to snap at any supposed "awful sacrifice." The uninitiated is a fre- 

 quenter of auctions. Being there, he walks down the gangways, star- 

 ing at the equine chattels; going dangerously near to their heels, but 

 not venturing up to the head of any quadruped. It is not long that 

 this person is permitted to stroll unattended in such a sphere. His 

 notice is soon directed to "one of the right sort." The groom is ordered 

 to bring the animal into the yard, and show "its action" to the gen- 

 tleman. 



While the groom is putting on the bridle and removing the cloth, 

 the uninitiated accompanies his new companion into the yard. The 

 coming of the animal is soon announced by the cracking of numer- 

 ous whips. The poor creature is hurried and flurried about the little 

 space outside the stables, or it is made to prance and caper along the 

 public street. The intention is not to exhibit the natural pace, for no 

 person possibly could judge of a horse when the animal is thus circum- 

 stanced. Fear will conceal the presence of disease, and the symptoms 

 of alarm are, in the quadruped, readily mistaken for the evidences of spirit. 



