22 THE HORSE. 



warranty being drawn up, must be considered to stamp 

 the horse as UKSOUND. 



Where there is reason to suppose that all tendency to 

 inflammation in these organs has ceased, whether from 

 the animal's age or otherwise, if there are any marks of 

 injury remaining as is mostly the case from the small- 

 est cataract, not larger than a needle's point; or if there 

 is the slightest dilatation of the pupil, the horse is 



UNSOUKD. 



In other words, a horse with either eye not actually 

 perfect is, if not blind, unsound. 



TOTAL BLINDNESS. 



If the animal is totally blind, either with one or both 

 eyes, then there is no danger accompanying his use 

 beyond what can be easily calculated upon; and if he is 

 capable of doing the same work as other horses of his 

 class similarly afflicted, he may be warranted sound, 

 ranking only as BLEMISHED. 



THE MOUTH. 



The age of the horse may be ascertained by examining 

 the teeth and general appearance of the mouth. Taking 

 it for granted that the reader will be acquainted with the 

 peculiar structural marks, as reference can easily be 

 made to plates on the subject, it only remains for me to 

 state, that, by careful study and proper opportunity, one 

 may learn to ascertain the age of the horse with tolerable 

 accuracy, until the animal has turned his twentieth year. 

 This is allowed by those who have had the opportunity 

 and wish to ascertain the truth; but it is the interest of 

 many to keep up the vulgar error that beyond the age of 

 eight the horse's age cannot be calculated with any cer- 



