SOUND AND UNSOUND HORSES 



legal sense, their presence constitutes 

 unsoundness. 



Some practitioners — probably the 

 more numerous — noting the presence of 

 splints, certify as to " practical " sound- 

 ness, a term that requires no explana- 

 tion, but one, we hold, that is of very 

 little value so far as the practitioner's 

 reputation is concerned. 



In the writer's opinion the more satis- 

 factory plan is, if splints be present, to 

 indicate their existence on the certifi- 

 cate, or by word of mouth, and add, 

 " in all other respects (if this is the onl}^ 

 fault) the animal is sound." Worded in 

 this manner, the examiner protects him- 

 sell, probably without making the client 

 fight shy of an animal that may be 

 exactly what he requires, and possibly 

 will have trouble in finding another as 

 suitable. 



In a heavy horse, it is right that less 

 regard be paid to splints. 



146 



