EELATIVE UNSOUNDNESS. 37 



imitation. A healthy horse may undoubtedly acquire 

 the habit, and thereby get his digestion impaired ; but I 

 cannot say — although it is very commonly considered — 

 that indigestion is a cause of cribbing. The fact of a 

 horse being a cribber should always be mentioned in the 

 certificate. 



Cutting, — Under this heading, we may include speedy- 

 cutting, brushing, tread, interfering, and over-reaching. 

 Cutting is, generally, due to malformation; weakness, 

 either natural, or brought on by fatigue; faults of 

 shoeing ; over-taxation of strength ; nature of the ground 

 on which the animal travels ; and awkwardness of gait 

 occasioned by disease, or by alteration of structure. The 

 case of Biddnson v. Follett * (Exeter, 25th July, 1833) 

 is the only one I can find on this point, and is as 

 follows : " The warranty was admitted. The horse had 

 been kept and used by the plaintiff as a carriage horse 

 (for which purpose he was bought) about a month, and 

 was then tendered to be returned as unsound. It was 

 admitted that the horse was unsound at that time, but 

 there was conflicting evidence whether the unsoundness 

 existed at the time of the sale, or whether it arose from 

 some subsequent cause; and, on the other hand, a 

 veterinary surgeon, called for the defendant, after giving 

 his opinion that the lameness arose from a recent injury, 

 stated also, that the horse was so ill-formed, from 

 * Moody and Eobinsou's Eeports, vol. 2, p. 209. 



