86 THE STUD, 



lame or continuing sounds tor I have seen num- 

 bers of horses thus affected to the utmost extent 

 always remaining perfectly sound : in fact, I ven- 

 ture an opinion, that a horse afflicted by string- 

 halt is sound or unsound, not from the extent of 

 the affection itself, but from circumstances ac- 

 companying the affection. If, on examining the 

 limbs, we found a difference in them, and that 

 difference of a nature that has any tendency 

 to produce lameness or eventually lead to it, I 

 should say such a horse could in no way be con- 

 sidered sound, though sound at that time ; but 

 if on lookino^ at and feelino- the limbs we could 

 perceive no difference in them, and both being 

 what they ought to be, I should consider the 

 animal a sound one notwithstanding^ his strins;- 

 halt. That some departure from the usual or- 

 ganisation of the different parts that create unison 

 of motion does exist, we must consider certain ; 

 but this difference of texture, or formation, of 

 hidden parts may in no way render the leg 

 affected one atom less sound or less efficient than 

 the other. I will endeavour to elucidate what I 

 mean by a supposed case. 



We all know that some horses lift their fore or 

 hind legs, or all of them, much higher than others 

 do, and that not from the effect of peculiar break- 

 ing, or teaching, but naturally ; this, of course, 

 proceeds from some natural cause, in no way 



