CATTLE AND HORSE INSURANCE. 
621 
and I find that, in most instances, there has been a decided ma- 
jority of mares. This fact, combined with reference to my case- 
book of diseased animals, leads me to believe that mares are, in 
general, longer lived than horses.” 
There are various circumstances which reasonably explain why 
this should be the fact. Mares, when recovering from any casualty, 
either of disease or accident, are frequently considered worthy of 
breeding from, and are consequently turned out to pasture, and 
time allowed to nature to recover the proper balance and harmony 
of the functions of life and health. Mares, then, among the 
different classes alluded to in your questions, may be averaged in 
each one to a period exceeding that of the horse by two or three 
years at least. 
The most prevalent diseases among farming horses are epidemic 
catarrh, fever, spasmodic colic, inflammation of the bowels, pneu- 
monia, grease, oedema of the extremities, and diabetes. He has 
had many cases of simple inflammation of the eyes, and which 
he has ascribed to the great failing in this part of the country 
of keeping stables not only insufficiently ventilated, but also 
much darkened. Symptomatic phrenitis is also of frequent occur- 
rence in this class of horses. Carriage horses, and those used for 
riding, &c. are oftener attacked with pneumonia and catarrhal 
affections generally, bronchitis, chronic cough, bronchial lesions, 
and defective wind, roaring, inflammation of the bowels and other 
vital organs. 
He thinks that these comprise the most general diseases. Of 
course, all horses are liable to external maladies, and likewise to 
spavin, disease of the tendons or their ligamentous connexions, 
bursal diseases, &c., and the several disorders to which the feet 
are subject; these, however, are not commonly fatal, and are 
slightly mentioned. 
Young horses are more especially attacked with strangles, febrile 
affections generally, affections of the throat and air-passages, and 
also inflammatory action in the various viscera of the chest and 
abdomen. 
He next comes to the question, “ Under and above what age 
would it be prudent to receive or refuse to insure horses, &c.” 
The young horse might generally be received ; but no one would 
think of insuring those that are far beyond the average age. 
The last question — “ At what rate per cent, might the different 
classes of horses be insured?” would be most correctly answered 
by a calculation, drawn, from the respective averages of the 
different classes. Many instances may be adduced of extreme 
long life. There was a horse which he possessed as a gift from 
a friend, that was regularly hunted when he was twenty-five 
VOL. XVII. ^ 4 N 
