72G 
OBSERVATIONS ON SOUNDNESS. 
a needle and thread, set to work, and produced as nice a 
formed shoulder as could be moulded; and like the one on the 
opposite side. I inquired how he managed these things, 
when he informed me that upon arriving in London lie 
should remove the stitches, and in about forty-eight hours 
the air would commence to make its escape (after he had 
parted with the animal of course).. He declared he never 
was detected in this trick. I am of opinion that this man is 
as hmoing^^ a dealer as travels to London with horses. 1 
have often wondered how he gets rid of such brutes as are 
taken by him across the channel. Some of his purchases are 
blind, broken-winded, roarers, bad-tempered, vicious kickers 
in harness, and, in short, many of the horses possess every¬ 
thing calculated to constitute a bad bargain. The men who 
carry on this trade (there are many engaged in it) make it a 
good thing. They each take over from twelve to twenty 
horses every week or ten days. They are conveyed from 
Limerick, Tipperai’y, and Waterford, at cheap rates; say 
about twenty-five shillings each horse from the former place 
to London direct. They are packed like sheep, from ten to 
twelve in a cattle truck upon the rails, and they are taken to 
a well-known place, where they are disposed of at the ham¬ 
mer, without any reserve whatever. This enables the dealer 
to complete his business earl}^, and be in Ireland again within 
a week or so. Now and then some useful and sound horses 
may be picked up from these men. It is, however, highly 
necessary that every person anxious to purchase of these 
worthies should have both eyes open. By moving the inte¬ 
gument with the hand once up and down will set the matter at 
rest, so far as the above trick is concerned. In directing your 
eyes downward you will discern if any disease be present in 
the elbow. Pursuing our course towards the carpus, we shall 
have to be somewhat more cautious than we have been per¬ 
haps. During this glance, we will, of course, take a peep at 
the pectoral muscles between the arms, in order to ascertain 
if a rowel or seton has been inserted there. If all these parts 
are passed as right, we shall now scrutinise rather closely 
the knee, leg, and foot. It is necessary to be particular in 
the examination of the carpal joint, especially in hunters, 
and for this reason : should a blemish be present upon the 
knee, which renders that joint in any way defective or stiff, 
it will be desirable to dw’ell a little, and ascertain the extent 
of injury inflicted. This is learned in two or three ways: 
first, by manipulating the skin in front of the joint laterally; 
secondly, by moving the skin once or twice upw’ards and 
doAvnwards, and, lastly, by flexing the limb— videlicet, by hold- 
