72 THE HORSE: ITS TAMING, 



hold of the halter shank — not a sJiort hold close to 

 the head. Walk round him, and take a general view, 

 and looking for broken knees, ringbones, splints, 

 sandcracks, difference in size of feet, &c. 



Look at the teeth for irregularity, incisors for 

 age, molars for soundness ; the nostrils for any 

 evidence of cold, strangles, nasal gleet, or glanders. 

 Examine the poll for poll-evil, and the throat for 

 marks of the crib-biting strap ; withers for fistula. 

 Examine minutely the knees for scars, pass your 

 hands down the legs for splints and sore shins. I 

 would not reject a young horse that had splints ; they 

 will frequently develop at 3 and 4 years old, and 

 will sometimes leave even afterwards without any 

 treatment at all. 



You can detect a sore shin by its being a little 

 swollen in front, and having; heat in it. Also look for 

 evidence of speedy cutting scars on the inside of the 

 knees, both below and above them ; horses that dish in 

 with their front feet are specially liable to have these, 

 and will easily come down. Then examine for ring- 

 bone and side-bones ; run your hands down back 

 tendons, to feel if clean and cool, and free from any 

 tJiickjicss ; then the foi'e feet for sandcracks — (these 

 are frequently filled up) — a sandcrack is a split down 

 the horn from the coronet, and not easy to see 

 sometimes. Search well round the top of the hoof 

 for small sandcracks. 



