The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 245
stake, who will have their price for a horse, and do not
deal after the Jewish manner of asking twice as much as
they intend to take. It is by far the best plan for pur-
chasers to go to such men who will let them have a horse
on hire with the option of purchase ; if they have to pay
a little more at the first (which is doubtful) they have a
fair chance of trying the animal. In buying a horse the
hand should be drawn over the ribs and the fingers
pressed firmly between them ; if the skin appears tight
and unyielding it may be inferred that the animal is
hidebound, and consequently labouring under some
internal disease. I would most particularly draw the
attention of the intending purchaser to the fetlock joints
of the horse, and if he finds a mark of a cut which may
be only an inch long or it may be some inches, situate
parallel with the shank bone, and immediately below the
pastern joint ; if such a mark is found it is certain that
the horse has been nerved, an operation which is per-
formed by cutting a portion of the nerve away to render
a horse workably sound which has an invariable attack
of navicular disease, such horse should be instantly
neglected. In examining the foot, if the sides of the
hoof are marked with circular depressions running
parallel with the coronet, it is certain that severe inflam-
mation has existed at some time in the sensible portion
of the foot and is consequently liable to a return of it at
any time after a little over exertion. See that both fore
feet as well as the hind ones are of an equal size, and
ascertain that they are quite cool and equally so ; attend
to the sole, see that it is of its proper shape ; thrush can
be detected by the smell, besides the other symptoms