ON SOUNDNESS. 29 



RHEUMATISM is to be considered as unsoundness, as, in 

 most instances, an animal once attacked is predisposed to 

 it again on the slightest cause, and very often the attack 

 is periodical. Chronic rheumatism of the muscles is 

 more lasting than the acute, as during its slow process, it 

 often flies from one part to another, attacking the ligaments 

 and tendons, as well as the muscular fibres ; it is seldom 

 much under control, and the animal's general health suf- 

 fers, but a horse attacked with rheumatism after he comes 

 into the hand of the purchaser is not returnable, unless the 

 purchaser can prove that he was so attacked previously. 



KOAKTN T G, BROKEX-WLND, THICK- WIND, are to be con- 

 sidered as uusoundness, as it is a disease of some of the 

 muscles whose office is to dilate the larynx; they are some- 

 what wasted away and flabby (crico-arytenoidens lateralis 

 and thyro-aryteuoidens) and other muscles are no doubt 

 equally atrophied. The causes of roaring are said to be of 

 three kinds by Mr. Walsh. " First, inflammation, which has 

 left a thickening or ulceration of the mucous membrane, or 

 a fungous growth from it ; secondly, paralysis of the mus- 

 cle ; and thirdly, an alteration of the shape of the cartilages 

 of the larynx, produced by tight reining. Therefore, a horse 

 whose mode of breathing is not only disagreeable to his 

 driver, but injurious to himself, is unsound; as it is caused 

 from disease, and must impair that portion of the muscles 

 so affected as to be of some vital injury to the animal, should 

 he ever be attacked with any pulmonary disease. 



The other two diseases named are similar to unsound- 

 ness, they being only modifications of roaring. 



SAKD-CRACK, QUARTER-CRACK, is to be considered as 

 unsoundness. Mr. Youatt says, " It may, however, occur 

 without the slightest warning, and no horse can be reject- 

 ed on account of sand-cracli that has been sprung after 



