256 THE HORSE-KEErER's GUIDE. 



flometliiiig wrong ; and when the animal in agitated, slight 

 lameness will escape the eye. 



The first thing to be ol)servcd is, that when standing 

 evenly, the weight is thrown equally on both feet. If there 

 be any complaint in the fore feet, one will probably be 

 ''pointed," that is, extended before the other, or he will 

 frequently alter the position of them, taking one up, and 

 setting the other down ; or the hind legs will be brought 

 under the body to relieve the fore feet of some portion of 

 the weight. Any of these symptoms will direct your at- 

 tention to the feet when you see him out. 



Tojudgeof his respiration, it is necessary to be ac- 

 quainted with the indications of health. Observe if the 

 tlank alternately rises and falls with regularity. In health, 

 the respiration of the horse is from four to eight per min- 

 ute, average six in the day time ; during sleep it is seldom 

 more than four. If quicker than ordinary, it betokens pre- 

 sent fever, other symptoms will be developed, such as in- 

 creased pulse, heat of mouth, and dulness, while the deli- 

 cate pink appearance which the membrane covering the 

 partiti(m of the nostrils assumes in health, will be increas- 

 ed in colour, 



I3ut if none of these symptoms of ill-health are present, 

 and yet the horse heaves at the flank more than ordinary, 

 if the weather be moderate, and the stable not oppressive- 

 ly hot, it is probable such a horse is thick-winded. 



When inspiration appears to be perfoi-med readily and 

 quickly as in health by a single action, but exspiration with 

 difficulty by an irregular and prolonged movement, or dou- 

 ble action, the respiratory muscles appearing as if inter- 

 rupted in the act of expelling the air, and then the flank 

 drops suddenly, it is a symptom of broken wind. His 

 cough should then be tried. The cough of a broken- wind 

 ed horse is a peculiar low hollow grunt, diflicult to des 

 cribe, but when once heard easily recognized. 



The cough can generally be elicited by pinching the 

 larijnx or treachca, th )ugh, occasionally, this fails, for some 

 sound as well as broken-winded horses cannot be made 

 to cough at all. In these cases, when there is any irregular- 

 ity in the movement of the flank, which would lead to the 

 Busj)icion of bi'oken wind, and there is unusual hardness of 

 the windj)ipo, which does not give way on pinching, it may 



