STUMBLING. 95 



STUMBLING. 



The stumbling of a horse may be either natural 

 or produced by accidents, such as spUnt, wind galls, 

 sinew strains, shoulder sprains, withers injured, &:c. 

 &c. but whether produced by accident or natural 

 defect, cannot be remedied. All horses, and particu- 

 larly those that go well, stumble more or less ; but there 

 is a very wide distinction between a light tip or touch 

 on the foot, and a stumble that will bring a horse and 

 sometimes his rider flat in the dirt. Horses given to 

 this practice, are very much lessened in value, and can 

 never be rode by any person aware of his bad quality, 

 without being in pain, dreading every time he lifts his 

 feet, that all will be prostrated in the dust. 



To ascertain if a horse stumbles, 



1st. Examine well his knees, to discover if they are 

 scarred, or the hair knocked off. 



2d. Take him amongst uneven ground, small gullies, 

 or old corn ground, and let him be rode with the bridle 

 hanging slack upon his neck, in all the different gaits 

 he has been accustomed to, and if he is in the habit of 

 stumbling, he will very soon make a sufficient number 

 of low bows to convince you of the fact. 



3d. When a horse stumbles and immediately springs 

 off, appearing alarmed, it is a proof that he is an old 

 oftender, and is under the apprehension of having one 

 other flogging added to the great number he had, no 

 doubt, received for the same fault. Such a horse 1 

 consider unsafe, and therefore cannot recommend him 

 to purchasers ; he being not so good, even for a slow 

 draft, as one possessing more activity. 



