ON SOUNDNESS. 
15 
assured me that he, as well as his daughter, had ridden her for 
some time, and she had never shown any symptom of stiff- 
ness or lameness. I recommended her being kept, and gave 
them my opinion that she would not be likely to go lame 
from the ailment. My advice was taken ; the mare is still 
in the possession of the noble lord, going quite sound (being 
years since that she was bought), and is a most especial 
favorite of one of his sons. Had I not possessed the confidence 
of those gentlemen, and the mare had been sent to some 
other veterinary surgeon, there is little doubt but he would 
have rejected her, and much unpleasantness might have 
occurred. 
Fourth case : A young bay horse was in dispute after pur- 
chase on account of enlargements in the spavin-places (but 
refused to be taken back on account of no 'warranty having 
been given), and was said to be unsound in consequence, by 
a respectable practitioner, although not a legalised veterinary 
surgeon. From some cause, about this time the horse fell off 
much in condition. It was said to be brought about from 
the pain he was suffering in his hocks, for which firing was 
recommended. My opinion was sought; I saw him move, and 
he went quite sound without the least perceptible limp. I 
disapproved of the firing, as 1 considered it uncalled for, and 
it was not resorted to. He was kept, and soon regained his 
health and condition. Two years after, he was sent to a fair 
and sold, but was rejected, on examination, by a member of 
the College for unsound hocks. He was taken home again, 
worked on, and is now, as he always has been, perfectly free 
from lameness, and can do his twelve miles an hour w ith 
ease. The enlargements were congenital, as I well remember 
him from his birth. 
Fifth instance : A horse was rejected by a country prac- 
titioner for an unsound eye He w^as sent to me, when I 
examined him and found he had unnaturally enlarged corpora 
nigra, one of which was nearly as large as a tick-bean in one 
eye. I, however, passed him as sound ; and the eye has always 
remained the same, without causing shying. I once knew a 
member of the College reject a horse having this appearance 
in the eye. 
I could go on, Messrs. Editors, multiplying cases until I 
filled the whole of your next month’s number. I have knowm, 
and have seen horses rejected for slight string-halt ; also for 
thorough-pins, and other bursal enlargements, and many times 
for old curbs. But sufficient has been said for the present by 
Mr. Hawthorn and myself. I trust to call your attention, and 
that of the profession generally, to this subject. I do hope 
