VET E RI N Alt Y J U III SPlt U DEN C E . 
276 
so lame that I was angry that the man had not left it on the road. 
The distance he had travelled was about 100 miles. 
Re-examined by Mr. Gunning: — I do not know where the 
man can be found ; he has no fixed residence, but is a person 
who travels about from fair to fair. 
Mr. John Poulton was next called. — He said “ I am a veterinary 
surgeon, and have been in practice at Braintree for about twelve 
years. I am employed by Mr. Marriott, who hunts, and keeps 
a pack of harriers. The horse which is the subject of this action 
was shewn to me at his stables, about four or five days after the 
fair at Horncastle. It was decidedly lame, but the seat of lame- 
ness could not be discovered. It was a kind of invisible lameness. 
I do not now remember on which leg he was lame, neither could 
I ever discover, after a careful examination, what was the cause 
of lameness ; only it was before. He was so lame that he went 
dotting along on three legs, like a cat on hot bricks ( loud Laughter'). 
It was like coffin-bone lameness ; but as there was nothing at all 
to be seen externally, I could never discover where the lameness 
was, but he was lame from first to last ; it was more like a horse 
with corns than any thing else. I cannot take upon myself to 
say exactly what was its cause. It was a lameness which, in 
my judgment and opinion, constituted unsoundness. It was a 
chronic lameness, not originating in any recent accident. 
Cross-examined by Mr. Andrews: — To the best of my know- 
ledge the horse was lame in the foot : but I do not know where, 
nor whether he was lame in one leg or both. By chronic lameness, 
I mean a lameness of old standing — not of recent origin. A horse 
may lame himself in the coffin -joint by a sudden stump, or by strik- 
ing the foot against some hard substance : lameness of this kind 
is often incurable, and may be caused in a moment. 
Re-examined by Mr. Sergeant Storks. — I cannot say how long 
the horse had been lame when 1 first saw him, but I should suspect 
several weeks. If he had injured himself by some sudden strain, 
there would have been inflammation and heat, which must have 
been discovered upon examination. It is my opinion that the 
lameness did not arise from a sudden strain, but was of long 
standing ; and I do not believe that any man could tell where the 
lameness was. 
Mr. S. Sparrow examined. — I am a veterinary surgeon prac- 
tising in Cambridge, and have passed the College. On the 16th 
of this month I examined a bay gelding for the plaintiff, and 
found it unsound in the near fore foot. I think the lameness 
was the effect of. some old injury. I cannot say how long it might 
have existed, but I think for a considerable period. The cause 
of the lameness is inflammation in the joint commonly called the 
coffin joint, which inflammation was still in' existence when I ex- 
