192 Tjie Book of the Horse. 



Whistling and roaring are caused by thickening or some other defect or disease of tlie 

 windpipe, and may exist with very good although not the highest rate of speed. 



A horse turned out of a first-class hunting stable for whistling or roaring may be used 

 for years as a slow hack, or for harness, without being heard. Very recently one of the 

 sensation horses of the Park, ridden daily in the season by a lady of title — the two a perfect 

 picture — was a rank roarer at any pace beyond eight miles an hour ; but this beautiful mare's 

 beautiful mistress was judicious, and knew when and how long to canter, and when to drop 

 into a graceful walk. 



There are, I believe, horses that are not stopped in their gallop by roaring, but it is 

 difficult to understand how any one can have pleasure in riding them, however good. I once 

 heard Charles Payne, huntsman of the Pytchley, cry out in cover, " I cannot hear the hounds 

 for this roarer." 



So, too, there are degrees in lameness, from the grogginess and dottiness of the old 

 hunter — still good on soft ground — and the stiffness that goes off in harness-work a.id returns 

 in the stable, to positive disease of the feet or the joints, or absolute breaking of the tendons. 

 For instance, a horse of fine courage, good shoulders, and strong hocks, loins, and back — 

 that is to say, with strong propelling powers, may go well as long as you do not ask him to 

 gallop on hard ground or jump into hard roads. Amongst hired hack hunters there are many 

 such game old cripples. It is on such well-bred, clever, but terribly groggy animals, that a 

 good horseman of light weight in a soft winter will go along as well and better than mil- 

 lionaires mounted on hunters that cost more pounds than the screw did shillings. 



Foot-lameness, where the cause is not obviously a thrush or a slight corn, and therefore 

 curable, is a fatal objection, because there are no ways of patching up a foot, whilst a good deal 

 may often be done with a leg. A horse will work a long time in double harness after he is 

 not safe in a two-wheeled carriage. 



Broken knees, when not grievously disfigured, are not a fatal objection to an otherwise 

 useful horse ; if he has good action and sound fore-feet you may believe that accident has 

 caused the damage. Scores of hunters sell at three figures in spite of broken knees, but 

 then they come to the hammer with established characters. 



No one will knowingly buy a lame horse if he wants it for immediate use, but there are 

 many who will speculate in a lame horse when it is supposed that the lameness is curable 

 and the price justifies some risk. For instance, a Inorse may be lame from thrush in neglected 

 frogs, from corns caused by bad shoeing, or other curable causes. But the man with a small 

 stud, and especially the man who knows nothing about horses, had better have nothing to do 

 with a lame one, however fascinating. 



Herring-gutted " washy " horses are generally deficient in endurance. They will not last 

 long days, but, if suitable in other respects, they may make very good hacks for gentle exercise. 

 A narrow chest is considered liable to inflammation ; an extravagantly broad chest may belong 

 to cj. trotter, seldom to a pleasant or fast galloper. 



It is one more illustration of the folly of human nature, that horses sell best when in the 

 very worst condition for useful work, viz., " hog fat," although every one who buys a horse 

 ought to know that the only use of fat on a horse is to conceal defects. 



Age may be known up to seven by the teeth, and may be pretty nearly guessed by ex- 

 perts up to twenty. At si.x a lior:;e has passed all infantine diseases. If a horse that has 

 been fairly worked is sound and fresh on his legs and without vice at ten years old, he is 

 far more valuable than a promising five-year to the person who keeps only one horse. A 



