ADVICE TO BUYERS. 61 



curable. In such doubtful cases, it would j)erliaps be the 

 most prudent plau to reject the animal^ unless you can 

 secure a suitable condition to the warranty. 



There is another complaint of the lungs, or parts con- 

 nected with them, and an incurable one, which the pur- 

 chaser should be guarded against — this disease is named 

 roarmg, from the wheezing noise a horse that is thus 

 affected makes when ridden fast, particularly when gal- 

 loped up a hill ; it is sometimes so considerable as to bo 

 heard at a distance of many yards, but in walking, or 

 moderate exercise, it can seldom be perceived. The method 

 which is usually adopted to detect this complaint, when 

 sufficient time is not allowed to have the horse properly 

 examined, is to whip him under the belly, and make him 

 turn suddenly, or by making him leap over a bar; if he is 

 a roarer, this sudden exertion causes him to grunt suffi- 

 ciently loud and plainly to be easily detected. But this 

 criterion should never be depended upon when an oppor- 

 tunity offers of either galloping the horse, or having him 

 properly tested in the other various ways. 



Another defect to which attention must be called, is re- 

 garding injuries. After you have examined the animal in 

 the manner already laid down, place the animal on very 

 even ground, especially the hind-legs, then stand immedi- 

 ately behind the animal, to view the- hind-parts ; see if 

 both sides of the rump are even, that the point of one hip 

 is not lower than the other, that the muscles on one side 

 are not flatter than on the other side ; if all appear perfect, 

 then try if the animal has use of his tail, as it is a common 

 occurrence to see fine-looking animals lose, from an injury, 

 the use of their tails, and from the want of it in the sum- 

 mer mouths, dwindle away to a mere skeleton. The man- 

 ner to detect it is by pricking him under the belly, and if 



