300 
VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
that she was perfectly sound when I sold her. A few days afterwards 
I received a communication from Messrs. Holding - , stating that if I did 
not take her hack she would be sold at the repository. She was sold, 
and an agent of mine became the purchaser. She had been in my pos¬ 
session since last June twelve months, and I never observed anything 
the matter with her. She was for some time in my father’s keeping at 
Tilshead, and was regularly worked to the saddle—sometimes 40 or 50 
miles a day. She was sent to Salisbury about a fortnight before I sold 
her. The cartilage was very elastic when I examined her on the 14th 
of January, and there is little doubt it is cartilage still. There is very 
little ossification. 
Cross-examined—The cartilage still yields to pressure. It does not 
yield quite so much as it did. The whole of the cartilage is not ab¬ 
sorbed, but perhaps more than half. I never had any conversation with 
Perman relative to the case. Mr. Truckle and Mr. Aubrey are 
certainly dreaming if they say the mare is suffering from navicular dis¬ 
ease. I told the groom the enlargement was the cause of the lameness. 
Mr. Hussey said the leg filled, and I replied that there was nothing the 
matter with it. 
Mr. Swayne —Didn’t you add a “ but ?” 
Mr. Coleman —There were no “ buts ” about it. I bought the mare 
at a sale on Stockbridge race-course. None of the horses were war¬ 
ranted. I have no objection to state the price—I bought her at thirty 
guineas. I hunted her during the first season she was in my possession. 
I told Mr. Hussey he had better jump her a little to get her into prac¬ 
tice. A horse will point its foot from any disease causing pain in the 
leg. Pointing is not a characteristic of navicular disease more than any 
other. I would not give an opinion on a horse without seeing it—I 
think no man would be justified in doing so. Mr. Percivall’s book is a 
very good one. Neither of the mare’s feet is contracted. She has very 
good feet. I have not pared them. It was under the advice of my 
attorney that I refused to allow Mr. Spooner to see her this morning. 
I do not remember seeing the groom in the street, and his telling me 
of the lameness. The first time I saw the mare was in the stable. I 
have not taken the angle of inclination of her feet—there is no rule or 
model for that. She has rather a high foot. I have known instances of 
rapid ossification. I have known ossification completed in a month. 
Mr. Swayne —Can you tell us in whose horse ? 
Mr. Coleman—Yes-, Mr. Sainsbury’s, of Lavington. It was quite 
lame—more lame than this mare when she was sold at the repository. 
The case I have mentioned was the result of a blow from the shaft of 
a wagon. 1 have not known a case take so long as twelve months. 
Hundreds of horses suffer from ossification without its being known— 
they are so free from lameness. This mare could not have had it with¬ 
out my knowledge, because I examined her. It begins out of sight, but 
imperceptible to the touch. 1 swear that I could see or feel nothing of 
Ossification on the 9th of November. 
Mr. Swayne —I certainly should be astonished if Mr. Norris had not 
told me that people will swear anything in a horse case (laughter). 
Mr. Coleman —1 recommended bleeding for the ossification. Bleeding 
would remove inflammation and check ossification. Bleeding is the best 
remedy for navicular disease. On the 21st January I met Mr. Aubrey on 
the Stratford road, but did not tell him that the mare had navicular 
disease. 
Re-examined—There was no complaint about the filling of the leg 
until Mr. Hussey wished to return the mare. I examine many horses 
