54 THE STUD. 



DEFECTIVE WIND. 



There are so many gradations in this infirmity, 

 that it would be going too far to say I would 

 recommend every horse defective in his wind 

 being at once rejected (though I would not pur- 

 chase such a one for my personal use at any 

 price). The acceptation or rejection of these 

 horses should depend on the following contin- 

 gencies: — how far the animal is affected, the work 

 he is wanted to perform, the habits, taste, and 

 pocket of the purchaser ; or, if not the actual state 

 of the pocket, the state of the inclination to part 

 with its contents. 



To the man to whom fifty or a hundred, more 

 or less, is not a matter of serious consideration, I 

 would at once say, reject any and every horse 

 for any and every purpose, if he is at all de- 

 fective in his wind. He may do the work wanted 

 of him perfectly well, but still he is a make-shift ; 

 and, if all men thought as I do, a constant source 

 of annoyance. The detested short cough, that 

 more or less is habitual to bad winded horses, 

 positively grates on my nerves. It is distressing 

 to hear, and a certain nameless accompaniment 

 to the cough, often places the rider in a most 

 ludicrous predicament. " Figurez vous," as Sterne 

 says, a man driving a lady wuth such a horse. 

 The dreaded contretemps takes place ; the driver 



