46 THE horse's foot, 



less able to resist the weight from above by the softening effect 

 of immediate contact with so much moisture ; I would not, 

 however, on that account deprive the remainder of the foot 

 of the benefit to be derived from it. 



The advantages of a loose place over turning out are too 

 numerous to be enlarged upon in a work of this kind ; 1 may, 

 however, mention a few of the most prominent ; the chief of 

 which, as regards our object of obtaining entire rest, is the in- 

 surmountable obstacle thus placed in the way of the violent 

 galloping, which horses, from various causes, are apt to in- 

 dulge in when at grass : it also prevents the incessant stamp- 

 ing consequent upon the insufferable teasing of flies ; and it 

 offers the further advantage of enabling us to regulate the 

 food, both as to quantity and quality, — a matter deserving 

 much more consideration than is usually bestowed upon it. 



In conclusion, I will beg to offer a few remarks upon the 

 false estimate usually made of the value of a warranty. A 

 general warranty, as regards the soundness of the horse, is 

 valueless ; for, if he be unsound, it cannot make him other- 

 wise. Its only worth, therefore, when stripped of its sup- 

 posed mysterious, charm-like influence over his state, con- 

 sists in the authority with which it invests the buyer to pro- 

 ceed against the seller in a court of law, qualifying him to 

 expend many times the amount of the purchase-money, to 

 prove that he has been either wilfully or ignorantly deceived. 

 Now, instead of placing implicit confidence in such an in- 

 strument as this, or resting satisfied under its protection, it 

 would be much wiser, upon making a fresh purchase, in ad- 

 dition to the warranty, to have the horse examined by a vete- 

 rinary surgeon, who will at once detect any 'palpable defects 

 that may present themselves ; and then, being armed with 

 the general warranty on the one hand, and the veterinary 

 surgeon's certificate on the other, to set steadily and perse- 

 veringly to work, by good shoeing, a loose box, and plenty of 

 exercise, to endeavor to make him sound. 



