BUYING A HORSE 41 



to himself ; his head will then be entirely unconstrained, 

 and any irregularities in his action are easily detected. 



The action should be scrutinised most attentively im- 

 mediately he steps off, as defects are then most visible ; for, 

 not unfrequently, lameness disappears after few moments' 

 exercise. 



Should one of the fore feet be much affected, it will be 

 evident by the up and down motion of the head, and the 

 different degree of force with which he puts his feet to the 

 ground. Horses that are lame before drop their heads 

 when stepping on the sound leg, and raise it when the 

 weight is thrown on the lame leg; but when they are lame 

 behind the action (though not so perceptible) is reversed ; 

 they throw up their head a little when the sound leg comes 

 to the ground, and depress it when the lame leg propels the 

 body, and the motion of the lame leg is slow, while the 

 sound one is jerked quickly forward to sustain the weight. 



" Beaning " the Foot — When both fore feet are equally 

 tender (which is not uncommon in groggy horses) it is 

 more difficult to judge of his action — it is not uneven, and 

 the limp is not perceptible, but he steps short and tenderly, 

 with a general appearance of contraction. Dishonest 

 dealers at fairs and auctions resort to a scheme by which 

 groggy lameness in one leg is disguised by making the 

 action even. This barbarous trick is known in various 

 parts by the slang terms of *' diamonding," " beaning," 

 " balancing," or " wedging " ; and is performed by removing 

 the shoe of the sound foot, and paring out the sore, until it 

 yields to the pressure of the thumb. The shoe is then 

 replaced, and a wedge of wood, a pebble, or bean, is driven 

 in between the sole and shoe until sufficient pain is pro- 

 duced to make the horse equally lame on both legs. 

 Although the lameness is less evident, yet a person 

 accustomed to the action of horses will easily detect it ; and 

 if the animal is allowed to stand undisturbed, it will be 

 shown something is wrong by his repeatedly shifting his 

 legs. 



Another trick of these rascals to conceal lameness, or to 

 give an appearance of energy to the sluggard or worn-out 

 horse, is the torture of the lash, termed " firing." The poor 

 animal, previously to being shown, is so barbarously 

 flagellated, that, under the influence of terror of the 

 further application of the whip, his attention is withdrawn 



