i6 EXAMINATION OF HORSES AS TO SOUNDNESS 



of the eyes, the Hmbs are next dealt with, and 

 it must be remembered that defects of the legs 

 may be much more readily detected by careful 

 manipulation than by sheer observation alone. 

 I always make it a practice to commence with 

 the off fore-leg ; most people, I believe, begin 

 with the near, but I always start with the off, 

 as I think it more convenient. The hand should 

 first be run over the shoulder, looking for galls 

 thereupon, and from thence down the arm to 

 the knee. 



The Knees. — The knees should be very care- 

 fully examined for scars, indicating that at some 

 time the horse has fallen down and broken them, 

 for if once a horse has broken his knee, he in- 

 variably remains stiff or weak in that particular 

 joint, and stumbles thereby, generally being 

 liable to fall again. This holds good in the 

 great majority of cases, for I have known the 

 parts heal up beautifully, yet the horse always 

 remain a stum bier. Very often hair will be 

 rubbed off the knee by the manner or way the 

 animal has of lying down. Some horses have a 

 habit of scraping the bedding away from under 



