52 THE HORSE. 



upon the road, it was clear that the poor beast must have 

 come at least that distance on the raw and dislocated 

 stump. 



I have entered more fully into this operation than into 

 any other, as I have often found it difficult to make people 

 understand how it is that the horse is not sound or cured 

 by that operation which takes away the lameness. 



Although the lower portion of the limb is never 

 restored to its natural quick sensibility, if the horse 

 works free from pain for from two or three years, there is 

 every probability that he will continue to do so, the nerve 

 being united, the horse can perform all the work of 

 horses of his class; yet, until we have better data to go 

 upon as to the mischief resulting from injuries in 

 consequence of this muffled or deadened sensation, he 

 must still be pronounced 



CHINKED BACK. 



Chinked back, which is a slight dislocation or injury of 

 the vertebrae or of the spinal cord running through them, 

 is caused by the horse being pulled up suddenly by an 

 unskillful horseman, or being over-weighted. The mis- 

 fortune occurs in a moment, where the horse is stopped 

 on the instant, unless his legs are properly placed 

 at the precise time; it is therefore dangerous for any but 

 an accomplished horseman to attempt it, and more es- 

 pecially from the circumstance that the horse is not a re- 

 turnable purchase if you discover this defect a few min- 

 utes after purchase, unless you can prove that the injury 

 existed prior to his becoming your property. When the 

 horse drops at the pastern joint of the hind legs while 

 being ridden, you have reason to apprehend this defect, 

 particularly where you find that the front of the hind 

 pastern joint has been cut or injured at any time, or that 



