CERTIFICATES GIVEN BY VETERINARY SURGEONS. 89 
One of our most respectable metropolitan dealers in horse-flesh 
bought a horse last year, a grey gelding, in a country fair, at a 
great price, nearly 200 guineas, and sold him to a cavalry officer 
in town, who sent him to be examined, when he obtained the 
following certificate : — 
“ This is to certify, thatT have this day examined a grey gelding 
sent here by , and am of opinion that the said grey 
gelding is lame of the off hind leg, which renders him unsound. He 
has an enlargement in the spavin place of the off hock. He is five 
years old. 
“A. B.” 
At the instance of the dealer, another certificate was obtained, 
as follows : — 
“ I certify that I have examined a grey gelding for Mr. 
, and I find that he is lame of the near fore leg, and is 
consequently unsound. The frog of the foot is much broken down 
by the disease commonly termed thrush, which appears to have 
existed for a considerable time, and in all probability occasions 
the lameness, as I do not detect any marks of disease in any other 
part of the limb. 
“B. C.” 
Not content with these opinions, the horse was examined a 
third time, to the following effect : — 
“ I hereby certify that I have this day examined a six-year old 
grey gelding for Mr. , and, with the exception of a 
slight cold, I do not observe any thing to indicate unsoundness in 
him. He has slight thrushes in his fore feet. 
“ C. D.” 
In spite of these opinions the officer bought the horse, his regi- 
mental veterinary surgeon pronouncing him to be sound, as was 
proved in the end. 
Some years ago, my late father bought a thorough-bred stallion 
for me from a nobleman. I soon found out the horse to be a 
roarer, and returned him as such. My father requested the noble 
lord to have the horse examined by a veterinary surgeon, for his 
own satisfaction; and the following day his lordship sent for my 
father, and putting the certificate into his hand, filling two sides of 
a whole sheet of paper, wdth a long description of the horse 
making a noise in his breathing in his slow paces, and making 
none at all when galloped, &c., he said, “ Mr. Goodwin, what 
does all this mean — can you tell me I ” “ Indeed I cannot,” replied 
my father, “ and I advise your lordship to send the horse to another 
practitioner, with a request to him to certify sound or unsound.” 
