56 ADVICE TO BUYERS. 



blind horse, for any person must be blind themselves not to 

 detect a blind horse, but it is on signs and indications, 

 that will cause you to suspect that the animal will go blind 

 after being a little while in your possession. 



The age at which the eyes most frequently become dis- 

 eased is from five to six ; next to that, from four to five ; 

 sometimes, but not often, it happens after six ; after seven 

 the disease rarely occurs, except from accidents, to which, 

 of course, they are equally exposed at all ages. In pur- 

 chasing a horse, therefore, about five years old, it is neces- 

 sary to be particularly attentive to the state of the eyes. 

 If they appear dull, cloudy, or watery, if the lids appear 

 to be more closed than usual, if the inner corner of the 

 eyelid appears puckered up, and particularly if there is a 

 manifest difference in the appearance of the eyes, they 

 may justly be suspected to be unsound. 



Having taken a general view of the eye, the pupil, or 

 dark blueish oblong spot in its centre, should be closely 

 and carefully examined ; and if a difference is perceived in 

 the size of the two pupils — if, instead of a dark blue color, 

 they appear cloudy, or if white specks are seen in them — a 

 diseased state of the organs is indicated. Mr. Armatage 

 says, '^I have observed in many instances, that when a 

 small speck has formed in the pupil, it does not gradually 

 increase, as by many it is supposed to do; on the contrary, 

 I have, in many cases, known it remain in the same state 

 for years without causing any material impediment to vis- 

 ion." I should not, therefore, reject a horse simply on ac- 

 count of this defect ; that is, if the eyes appeared perfectly 

 healthy in every other respect, and particularly if the speck 

 is small, nearer the edge than the centre of the pupil, and 

 only in one eye j it would be advisable, however, that the 

 fact be understood that the pupils become small when the 



