SOUNDNESS IN HORSES. 
463 
recorded law: in court it has been decided, that “ the loss ol an 
eye ” is an “ existing unsoundness. ” Again, a horse who has had 
his teeth knocked out, or from any unnatural cause, such as crib- 
biting, has worn them away, so that they are rendered unable to 
perform mastication to a sufficient degree to maintain health and 
condition, is likewise unsound, on the principle of impairment oj 
capacity: such a horse is not in a state to undergo what he could 
were his digestion unimpaired. 
There is a curious fact, however, connected with this part of 
our subject, one well known to all of us, which seems to call for 
notice in this place; and that is, that, in a general way, no 
sooner has one part become deprived of more or less of its func¬ 
tion or capacity, than some other begins to alter or accom¬ 
modate itself in such manner that the deficiencies are either 
oreatly compensated for, or altogether supplied. How beautifully 
is this made manifest to us in the “ loss” of a blood-vessel: 
though it be a large and a principal one, yet in the course of time 
do the anastomosing vessels so increase in size, and, seemingly, 
also in number, as to carry on the circulation quite as freely and 
effectually as before. How is it that incurably lame horses be¬ 
come enabled to do so much work ? At first they halt and hobble 
greatly ; but, by degrees, they acquire a peculiar gait, from the 
habit of going upon three in place of four legs, by which they 
make the sound limbs, amongst them, perform almost all the 
duties of the unsound one. 
I shall now pass on to 
Soundness in Action, 
By which I mean, the ability to move the limbs with that ease, 
power, and effect, which is natural to them. 
The principles I have been endeavouring to establish to guide 
us in questions of soundness in constitution, are the same that 
strike me as the most natural for us to follow in regard to action. 
In the first place, I should say— 
That actual or recognised disease of limb (whether lameness 
were present or not) constituted unsoundness. And, 
Secondly, That any condition of their parts, impairing natural 
action or capacity, also constituted unsoundness. 
On which principles, not only are all lamenesses cases of un¬ 
soundness, but also every such altered condition wl parts as can 
be shown, either from their very nature or by the aid oj expe¬ 
rience, to impair present action or diminish its natural powers, 
either of extent or durability. . 
A horse may have a sand-crack and not go lame from it : ne¬ 
vertheless, that horse is, in my opinion, unsound ; because his 
