HOW TO DETECT IMPERFECT VISION IN HORSES. 193 



would not jump, simply because he had neither nerve 

 nor skill to manage him. 



" A fine-mannered horse, isn't he ?" said my friend 

 as the lad led him back to his box, without a twisted 

 hair on his shining skin. 



"Yery, indeed," I replied; "but deep-levered bits 

 and tight curbs, handled by inexperienced riders, will 

 spoil any horse in the world." And in this case it was 

 fortunate the gentleman returned the horse so soon after 

 sale, for a few more days' mawling him about would 

 have completely ruined him, and he would have been 

 returned without a shilling of compensation. How- 

 ever, a few days' quiet handling brought him back to 

 his old form. 



CHAPTER VII. 



HOW TO DETECT IMPEEFECT VISION OS BLtBTDSTEES 

 IN HORSES. 



THE novice in horse-flesh may have good grounds for 

 suspicion as to the existence of imperfect vision or 

 blindness, when the horse moves his ears in a constant 

 and rapid motion, directing them in quick succession to 

 every quarter from whence the least sound proceeds. 

 His action is lofty and faltering, and he lifts up his 

 feet and replaces them on the ground as if stepping over 



