66 

 groom be not in the way and the horse seems nervous, 

 let the neck be patted, the face below the eye gently 

 rubbed, then the nose caressed ; and when the timid 

 animal is assured that no harm is intended, the lips 

 may be freely drawn asunder : but should the head 

 be snatched away, when the first attempt to see the 

 teeth is made, let the hand immediately release the 

 mouth, rather than endeavour to retain the hold. It 

 is far better to begin again than justify the fears of 

 the horse, by a needless and worse than useless 

 struggle, which in the end will probably be of no 

 avail. After the horse has by forbearance been 

 rendered quiet, while the lips are held asunder, the 

 shape, colour, length, and obliquity of the teeth 

 are noted, and the presence or absence of milk 

 teeth observed. When this is done without violence, 

 the animal will not often offer any opposition to the 

 finger being introduced to feel the tushes, or to 

 the sides of the mouth being separated so as to obtain 

 a fair view of them. The examiner now places him- 

 self in front of the horse, and by introducing one 

 finger behind the incisors and getting it under the 

 tongue, will cause the animal to open its mouth, or 

 the tongue may be seized and drawn out of the 



