294 A TREATISE ON HORSE-BREEDING. 



tematic rejection of the disaased animals as breeders has 

 greatly reduced the number of blind horses in later years. 

 In America there is still a very wide margin for improve- 

 ment. The blind stallion and the blind mare should be alike 

 discarded, and it is well to avoid the progeny of horses that 

 have suffered from this recurring 1 ophthalmia, even though 

 their own eyes may still be apparently sound. 



Among the indications that an animal has suffered from 

 the disease are the following; A slight bluish opacity 

 around the margin of the transparent cornea; a sunken 

 appearance of the eye, which seems smaller than natural; 

 the existence of an angular interruption in the regular 

 curve of the upper eyelid about one-third from its inner 

 end; and a tendency to shy from imperfect sight. If in ad- 

 dition to this there is a loss of the clear luster of the iris 

 (around the pupil), and an undue feeling of tension and re- 

 sistance when the eyeball is pressed through the lid, or if 

 there is a cataract, the evidence becomes the more conclu- 

 sive. A cataract is recognized by a whitish opaque spot be- 

 hind the pupil. It is best seen when the horse is led toward 

 the stable door, so that the light may fall on the eyes from 

 above an.d in front, while the interior of the stable forms a 

 dark background. In bad cases the entire pupil is filled up 

 by the opaque spot and the horse becomes blind on that side. 

 An animal showing such features, or one which suffers at in- 

 tervals from swelling or watering of the eyes, should never 

 "tie used for breeding. 



Nearsightedness is another quality which is derived from 

 parents, and which is especially dangerous, by causing the 

 horse to shy. It is further manifested in most cases by a 

 peculiar bulging appearance of the eye, by reason of an 

 extra convexity of the cornea. 



The foals of horses that have suffered from moon-blind- 

 ness are not all equally subject to its attacks. Much of the 

 difference depends on the varying activity of the disease in 

 the parent at the time of conception or during the period 

 of pregnancy. A case strongly illustrative of this may be 

 noted: A mare not predisposed to recurring ophthalmia, 

 had a burdock entangled in the forelock so as to be directly 



