112 THE STUD. 



leg, if the sinews are firm, and no stiffness re- 

 mains, is as good as ever it was ; but where the 

 leg does not show and feel thus, fired or not 

 fired, such a horse should be at once rejected; 

 for if, in such a case, we do not absolutely buy 

 a cripple, w^e buy an animal that certainly will 

 shortly become one. It is true a horse Avith a 

 strained and relaxed tendon may still do very 

 light work, but who would burthen themselves 

 with such an animal unless they meant to keep 

 him like a toy, occasionally to be exhibited and 

 then returned to his box. I dislike any failing 

 in a horse that keeps one in hourly fear of its be- 

 coming worse, and this an equivocal kind of sinew 

 always does ; and though I do not advise my 

 reader to always reject an enlarged leg, I most 

 strongly recommend him at once to reject an un- 

 certain sinew. 



CORNS. 



This very common failing in the horse is so 

 well known, that any description of them is quite 

 unnecessary. It would be absurd to say they 

 are of little consequence, but still as absurd to 

 advise the rejection of a horse because he had 

 them, as the propriety of such a purchase depends 

 on their effect, not their presence. He may have 

 very extensive corns, and yet be always sound on 



