ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 129 



Precautions to he Observed in Buying and Trafficking 



in Horses. 



In buying a horse the greatest precaution is necessary 

 lest the purchaser is cheated. Every part of the horse's 

 body is liable to defects and derangements— it behooves us 

 therefore in examining a horse not to be in too great of a 

 hurr}^, especially if Ave have to deal with cunning and bold 

 jockeys, who know how to disguise the faults, peculiarities 

 and age of a horse, and how to manage to deceive the 

 purchaser by all kinds of tricks, the effects of which are 

 very useful in the hands of a designing jockey. In pur- 

 chasing, this point should be well considered, lest w^e should 

 pay for an apparent value which will sooner or later dis- 

 appear and cause us to regret our purchase, hence I would 

 advise those who do not understand this business to take 

 counsel with a trusty friend instead of depending upon 

 their own judgment in such dubious matter. 



Finally, we have to mention a few^ tricks which are fre- 

 quently^ resorted to by horse dealers to faciliate the sale of 

 horses, these tricks are angleizing, dressing, peppering and 

 whipping the horse. By angleizing a common horse, he is 

 made to look nobler. Dressing the feet, mane and inner 

 ear is a great means of embellishing the horse, for he seems 

 to acquire a more imposing posture, the neck looks more 

 slender and graceful, the hearing becomes more acute, he 

 is more attentive to everything that is taking place 

 around, and the pendulous ear looks more erect. 



