HINTS TO THE rURCIIASERS OF HORSES. 391 



Rcstlveness is sometimes discovered by separating a horse 

 from his companion after riding together a few miles, or after 

 riding him and bringing him back to his stable, by attempting 

 to ride him off again. On these occasions, if a horse has any 

 restiveness he generally discovers it. 



Before I finish this chapter, it may be proper to remind 

 the reader that we rarely meet with a horse that is in every 

 respect perfect ; and thoi'.gh from the high price of the animal, 

 it is necessary to be very cautious, yet it is possible, perhaps, 

 to carry our caution too far ; that Is, there may be some 

 trifling imperfection, such as a small splent, which is not worth 

 noticing. One caution I always think necessary, however per- 

 fect the horse may appear, and this is, to have a receipt upon a 

 stamp in the handwriting of the seller, in which the horse is de- 

 scribed, and warranted sound, and free from vice. 



This will be found very useful should any defect afterwards 

 appear which may render it necessary to return the horse. It 

 is by many thought necessary, when a horse is returned, to 

 put him into the stable of the seller, or to get him to receive the 

 horse ; but it has been established in our courts of law that this 

 is not necessary, and that it is sufficient to give notice by a 

 witness, that the horse is unsound or vicious, or is not what he 

 was warranted to be, and that he is ready to be delivered up 

 when sent for.* 



It is advisable, after purchasing, neither to have him shoed 

 nor to give him any medicine, until satisfied, by a sufficient 

 trial, that he is In every respect sound. 



Perhaps I have dwelt longer upon this subject than some of 

 my readers may think necessary ; Ijut It should be recollected 

 that It Is Intended only for those that are Inexperienced in 

 horses. It may be thought, also, that what I have written may 

 tend to excite an unjust prejudice in the minds of those to whom 

 it is addressed, or that it may make them over-cautious, and 

 induce them to reject horses without sufficient reason : but, if 

 we take into consideration the many defects or diseases to which 

 horses are liable, the difficulty of detecting them, the numerous 

 deceptions that are practised, and the shifts and evasions some- 

 times resorted to, I trust that in what I have written the candid 

 reader will not accuse me of having gone too far, or that It will 

 excite ?n undue prejudice against the horse-dealer. I am aware 

 that there are men In that trade who would descend to the 



* By tendering the horse, and afterwards placing him at livery, the keep 

 of an unsound horse after this tender can be recovered ; it is, tlierefore, the 

 best i)Uui to adopt when the seller is a solvent and responsible man. If the 

 horse is sold to a third party, after due notice given to the dealer, an action 

 can be brought for the ditlerence between the price given and received by 

 the plaintiff". If the horse be retained, the action may be brought for the 

 difference between the price given and his real value. — Ed. 



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