78 CONKEY'S STOCK BOOK 



WHEN A Every horseman has his favorite treatment for balking 



HORSE BALKS some humane, but most of these "cures" are extremely 

 inhuman. It is usually foolish to whip or scold or 

 otherwise abuse a balker it only increases the animal's resentment or 

 nervousness, whichever has caused the balking. 



Often kindness is the only 

 thing necessary to get the horse 

 started a little petting, coaxing, 

 perhaps an apple or a lump of 

 sugar. Sometimes it is necessary 

 to distract the aggrieved animal's 

 attention, and one of the best ways 

 to do this is to get down and hold 

 up one forefoot for a few minutes, 

 or pound on the shoe (lightly) with a stone. If a bad case, take a 

 little time for the following, not forgetting to give the animal first a 

 little petting: Go to the bits. With a strap fastened around one front leg 

 between the hoof and fetlock draw up the foot, if necessary tying it up, 

 by fastening the strap to the hames. The horse will soon get tired of this 

 three-legged business, but let him have a full treatment, holding him by 

 the bit and "whoaing" him kindly at each attempt to start. When thor- 

 oughly tired of this balking, let down the foot and you will probably have 

 no more trouble. However, repeat the treatment if necessary the next 

 time, giving him a longer taste of it. 



WHEN YOU When you buy a horse there are two places you want 



BUY A HORSE to test him: in his stall and outside, putting him 



through his paces. In his stall he will likely show 



any stable vices he may have, such as weaving, cribbing, kicking and 

 crowding, etc. Weaving is a swinging of the body from side to side for 

 hours at a time. Some horses are continually kicking and pawing at the 

 sides of the stall. Cribbing is sometimes prevented by buckling a strap 

 around the horse's neck, just back of the ears. When you see such a strap 

 you can suspect a cribber. Notice particularly if the horse stands squarely 

 on his feet, without "pointing" a foot to get relief from lameness or sore- 

 ness. Look out for halter-pulling, which is very annoying. If a horse is 

 gently made to stand over in the stall he may show evidence of stringhalt 

 and his hind feet seem fastened to the floor, while it might not be noticeable 

 if he was made to jump about in the yard. 



OUTDOOR You want to see your prospective horse outdoors be- 



EXAMINATION fore you buy him. There you can put him through 



his paces, test his action. Watch the head and neck 



when testing for lameness. If the horse has a foreleg lame he will lift his 

 head each time; if a hind leg, he will keep his head down. 



Outdoors, where you have plenty of good light, go over the animal 

 point by point, examining every part of the body for defect or disease. 

 Don't simply look at his feet and legs. Don't trust your eyes. Examine 

 legs, shoulders, etc., with the hand as well. Irregularities are then plainly 

 noticeable. If he has quality let him show it all over. 



EXAMINATION Begin at the head, and go over first one side and then 

 IN DETAIL the other. Examine as follows: 



The nostril for suspicious discharges; the mucous 



membrane lining should be a bright, healthy pink, free from disagreeable 

 odor. Watch for signs of recent cleaning and be suspicious of a dull, 



