UNSOUNDNESS IN HORSES. 
205 
complexion, and it was elicited that this horse was the one 
which had been rejected for spavins some few weeks before. 
The gentleman became very angry at the apparent deception 
practised upon him, and resolved at once to return the animal. 
The “ knowing one” was not to be drawn into such a scrape 
so quickly as the gentleman intended, but, with great sang¬ 
froid, proposed to telegraph for a first-rate Dublin veterinary 
surgeon to settle the dispute. The gentleman consulted my 
friend upon the propriety of taking such a step, who hailed 
with delight the proposal, and advised its being done without 
further delay. It was done forthwith, and the veterinary 
surgeon came down from the big city, examined the animal, 
and was of opinion the horse had spavins, and was also lame in 
the near hind leg, &c. The horse was therefore returned, 
and all was at an end. 
It may be said by those who read this report, that it has 
but little to do with the matter of soundness and unsound¬ 
ness in horses as a 'public affair. My reply is, that it is a 
national question. We find almost daily’' men who have been 
many years practising as veterinary surgeons, both in London 
and elsewhere, giving opinions diametrically opposite to each 
other. What is the reason of this ? Something is wrong 
somewhere; echo answers, where? One thing is certain— 
reform is wanted and demanded. How is this reform to be 
brought about? One way, easy enough. 
What constitutes a sound horse? The answer is very 
simple,—an animal without defect. Is such an animal to be 
found? Very seldom; but approaching perfection often. 
The plan I advocated, some time ago, was to pronounce 
every horse unsound which was found to have blemishes, 
either natural or artificial; or, in other words, which was 
affected with spavin, splent, enlarged bursae, curb, ringbone, 
thrush, corn, &c., &c.,—in fact,with any disease ; and that the 
veterinary surgeon should be expected to report upon the 
nature of the disease in question, when an animal was pro¬ 
duced to him for examination. 
In England, I believe, the veterinary surgeon seldom has 
to examine a horse as to soundness, unless there is some 
dispute about the animal. In Ireland, every horse is examined 
prior to purchase ; which to my mind is the more satisfactory 
system. Warranties are seldom given except by the very 
“ knowing ones,” and who generally have a happy way of 
evading law proceedings when found out. 
I heard some horse-dealers discussing the merits of vete¬ 
rinary surgeons, one day last autumn, at a fair ; and they came 
to the conclusion that people were as safe in buying horses 
