THE HOKSE AND ITS DISEASES, 39 



Carefully examine the knees, because a horse with broken 

 knees must be suspected for stumbling. See that there 

 is no splint below the knee, or grogginess in the region 

 of the fetlock, nor ring-bone of the pasterns, or thorough 

 pin of the hock joints ; attend to the hocks in case they 

 are capped ; notice also that there is no symptoms of curb 

 a little way below these points. Examine the inside of 

 the hock in case of bone-spavin ; descend to the feet, and 

 see if there are symptoms of grease. See that there does 

 not exist smid orach in the horny substance of the hoof, nor 

 canker separating the horny substance from the sensitive 

 part of the foot. Be very particular about examining the 

 teeth ; take care that he is not bishoped, or had a tooth 

 extracted. A horse with an upright shoulder is more 

 fitted for harness than riding, and a sloping one is best 

 adapted for riding, from having generally better action, 

 and less of his own weight to sustain on his fore-legs. 

 Horses that stand with their hind legs much under them, 

 may be suspected to be diseased in the spine, or kidneys, 

 and should be carefully examined on these points, and 

 while doing so, do not permit the dealer, nor his servant, 

 to hold up the horse by the bridle, or to stand on rising 

 ground. Dealers' servants take care to bring horses to a 

 stand with their fore-legs on rising ground, and thereby 

 conceal any knuckling of the knees or pasterns, and 

 will give a groggy animal all the appearance of sound- 

 ness. To ascertain whether a horse is a roarer, piper, 

 or whistler, place him with his side against a wall, or the 

 side of a stall, take hold of the bridle, near the mouth, 

 and hold his head high, then give him a smart blow on 

 the ribs with your fist, and if he grunt at each blow, he 

 is a roarer; on the contrary, if he dances about in 

 consequence of the blows, sobbing, and drawing his 

 breath quickly, he is sui'e to be a whistler, or a piper ; 

 but for testing all diseases of the lungs and air ceils, 

 nothing is better than a gallop, or a smart trot. 



A man should consider no time lost that is spent 

 in thoroughly investigating all points connected with 



