THE HORSE, HOW TO BUY. 17$ 



17. — Cough ^ if it lasts. A horse with a chronic cough is cfearly 

 Viisound. 



18. — Megriems, if it can be shown that the horse has had an attack 

 before the sale. 



19. — Ophthalmia, if it occurs soon after t\ie purchase. The evidence 

 of a veterinary surgeon may be necessary to show the previous presence 

 of the disease. 



20. — Cataract, however slight, constitutes a horse unsound. 



21. — Broken knees, when the joint is injurea. 



There arc also vices for which a horse may be returned. These are : 



1. — Biting, when clearly vicious. 



2. — Bolting, or running away. 



3 . — Crih-biting. 



4. — Kit-king, when shown to be viciouo. 



h .-—Balkiyig . 



Q.-^ Rearing. 



7 — Shying, when habitual. 



8. — Weaving i7i the stable; that is, the horse throwing his head and 

 body from side to side with a peculiar motion. 



VII. Definition of Unsoundness and Vice. 



Unsoundness may be considered to be the existence of diseaare or alter- 

 Ation of structure sufficient to impair the natural usefulness of the horse. 

 Vice may be defined as the prevalence of a habit which interferes with 

 the natural usefulness of the horse. In unsoundness or vice, however, 

 either must be marked, as for instance the following diseases or accidents 

 would not constitute unsoundness : 



1 — Slight bog spavin; 2 — broken knee, when the joint is not injured j 

 3 — capped hocks, or elbows ; 4 — contractions of the fooJ, unless the re- 

 sult of disease, laming the horse ; 5 — curby hocks; 6 — splints; 7 — thor^' 

 ough pin, and 8 — thrush, are not unsoundness in their incipient stage, or 

 in a mild way. But the buyer should refuse all such except, perhaps, in 

 the case of thrush. 9 — Cutting is not unsoundness, except the horse 

 be lame at the time of sale, neither 10 — soreness of the joints from labor^ 

 or 11, loindgalls. 



They are found often upon colts, but if the animal be lame reject him. 

 When a horse is bought on warrantee, it must be written and concisely 

 so. Do not allow verbiage to cause litigation. The following form will 

 cover the whole jrround : 



RueiveA (insert place and date) of Mr ^insert name) DoUats, • 



