SOUNDNESS. 4^a 



our estimate of the soundness of the horse. Simple catarrh will 

 occasionally, and severe affection of the chest will generally, be 

 accompanied by swelling of these glands, which does not subside 

 for a considerable time after the cold or fever has apparently 

 been cured. To slight enlargements of the glands under the jaw 

 much attention need not be paid ; but if they are of considerable 

 size, and especially if they are tender, and the glands at the root 

 of the ear partake of the enlargement, and the membrane of the 

 nose is redder than it should he, we should hesitate in pronouncing 

 that horse to be sound. We must consider the swelling as a 

 symptom of disease. 



Enlarged Hock. — A horse with enlarged hock is unsound, the 

 structure of this complicated joint being so materially affected 

 that, although the horse may appear for a considerable time to be 

 capable of ordinary work, he will occasionally fail even in that, 

 and a few^ days' hard work will always lame him.* 



The Eyes. — That inflammation of the eye of the horse which 

 usually terminates in bUndness of one or both eyes, has the pecu- 

 har character of receding or disappearing for a time, once or 

 twice, or thrice, before it fully runs its course. The eye, after an 

 attack of inflammation, regains so nearly its former natural bril- 

 liancy that a person even well acquainted with horses will not 

 always recognize the traces of former disease. After a time, how- 

 ever, the inflammation returns, and the result is inevitable. A 

 horse that has had one attack of this complaint, is long afterwards 

 unsound, however perfect the eye may seem to be, because he 

 carries about with him a disease that will probably again break 

 out, and eventually destroy the sight. Whether, therefore, he 

 may be rejected or not, depends on the possibility of proving an 

 attack of inflammation of the eye, prior to the purchase. Next 

 to direct evidence of this are appearances about the eye, of which 

 the veterinary surgeon at least ought not to be ignorant. Allu- 

 sion has been made to them in page 64. They consist chiefly of 

 a puckering of the lids towards the inner comer of one or both 

 eyes — a difference in the size of the eyes, although perhaps only 

 a slight one, and not discovered except it be looked for — a gloom- 

 iness of the eye— a dullness of the iris — a little dullness of the 



* Note bti Mr. Spooner. — ^The greater number of these cases, arising as 

 they most frequently do from strains, we should consider as unsoundness, 

 even although the probability may be that the horse will stand work with- 

 out lameness. There is weakness of the part, and a possibility of lame- 

 ness. There are, however, other cases in which the enlargement may be in 

 the skin, or immediately under it, or on the outside of the bone, such cases 

 being often produced by kicks or blows, or other external injuries. There 

 are many such cases tiiat we should regard as blemishes, lot not as uu- 

 soundnese 



