DEFECTIVE WIND. 61 



the general selfishness of man. The living glan- 

 clered animal would affect the pocket by infecting 

 other horses ; the poor suifering broken-winded 

 horse only suffers in his own person. Such are 

 the feelings, despicable as they are, that actuate 

 the generality of mankind, not only towards 

 horses, but often to tlieir fellow man also. 



However thick- winded or asthmatic a horse may 

 be, he Is, in point of visible indication, widely 

 different from the regular broken-winded one, 

 and the latter from him. A regularly broken- 

 winded horse may, if standing still, be detected 

 nearly as far off as his colour is distinguishable. The 

 peculiar jerk of the flanks in such a horse cannot 

 be overlooked, even by those knowing the least 

 of such matters. The animal, in strenuous endea- 

 vours to expel the compressed wind from his 

 lungs, draws up the abdominal muscles in an un- 

 natural degree ; the elasticity of the lungs forces 

 back these muscles with a sudden jerk, which is 

 more or less forcible as the animal Is more or less 

 broken-winded. Thus, by watching the flanks of 

 horses in this state, no mistake can possibly be 

 made. This single symptom, or rather confirma- 

 tion, of broken wind is sufficient ; no professional 

 opinion is requisite in such a case. Let such a 

 horse be at once and for ever rejected. 



