CERTIFICATE OF DESCRIPTION. 813 



heels, the thickness of the shoes and their heels, obliges the animal to 

 lower his head, which stretches the nuchal ligament and raises the 

 withers; finally, if needs be, he pinches him under the sternum or 

 irritates and excites him with the whip to make the animal restless and 

 render the operation of measuring less exact. 



CHAPTER III. 



CEETTFICATE OF DESCRIPTION. 



Definition ; Divisions ; Importance. A certificate of descrip- 

 tion is a written document comprising a short, precise, clear, methodical, 

 and more or less complete enumeration of the external characteristics 

 which enable one to distinguish a certain horse from all others. 



It is summary or detailed, according to the number of items which 

 it contains. 



In some cases it is limited to a simple indication of the external 

 characters. Some authors also include elements which, strictly speaking, 

 are not essential to it. We refer to the pedigree and the performances, 

 of which we will speak farther on. 



Whatever may be its form, a certificate of description is a document 

 which, in many instances, may become one of very great importance, 

 either in disputes relative to some of the redhibitory vices or when 

 there is a question of theft, substitutions, and exchanges in relation to 

 legal proceedings, etc. It then becomes an official instrument by the 

 aid of which one should always be able to establish the identity of the 

 animal in litigation. 



Order to be followed. The order adopted in the enumeration 

 of the characters which should be included in a complete description 

 of the horse varies somewhat according to the circumstances and the 

 purpose in view. In general, it is adapted to the nature of the infor- 

 mation which it is necessary to know. The only rule which should 

 invariably be followed is to proceed in a uniform manner with all 

 animals belonging to the same series, so that we may go forward 

 methodically and rapidly without omitting any important details. The 

 following is the order usually adopted : 



1st. Sex, state of the genital organs. 2d. Race. 3d. Service. 4th. 

 Coat, its varieties and its peculiarities. 5th. State of the mane and tail. 

 6th. Age. 7th. Height. 8th. Blemishes and peculiar markings. 9th. 

 Diverse peculiarities foreign to the coat. 10th. Date. 



