AS TO SOUNDNESS. 145 
The trot on hard ground cannot be too slow ; and the 
servant at this time should take a long hold of the 
bridle, so as to let the horse have his head. It ought to 
be on level ground, and on very hard ground. By level 
ground I mean there ought not to be holes and hillocks 
in the ground, such as one finds in badly-paved streets. 
If you are satisfied with his trot, and have discovered 
no lameness, or stringhalt, or stiffness, etc., then proceed 
to try his soft parts, by galloping him on soft ground. 
The effects of this are to be looked for afterwards ; but. 
. during this part of the test you are also testing his wind. 
In doing so, you have to bring your hearing in as 
an examining agent, also your eyesight ; therefore it is 
essential that the horse is never out of the range of these 
senses, During this time you must ear every breath he 
* takes, and you must either ride him yourself, or you 
must have him ridden or handed round you zz @ circle 
' such as you find in a horse-rider’s circus. It must be 
soft, so that the hoofs make as little noise as possible, or 
the noise of the breathing will not be well heard. A 
_ grass field is the best place, and it is far preferable to 
have the horse run round you than for you to get upon 
him. You hear the exact character of the breathing 
better than if you were on him, by far. I usually do 
both. Your employers are better satisfied, because they, 
for one thing, like to have your opinion as to his mouth, 
if he has a hard mouth or not, or a hard side and a soft 
side to his mouth. A horse with a hard and soft side to 
his mouth is always objectionable; but a horse with a 
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