New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-14
AGRICULTURAL.
HOW TO BUY A HORSE

In recent number we pointed out few short rules
for the selection Of horses by purchasers not pretend
ing to be perfect judges of the animal; dwelling on
the points Of excellence in the form of the horse which
should be principally sought for in making a choice.
We proceed TO indicate briefly some of the most orl
nary defects, diseases and unsoundnesses to which
horses are liable aud for indications Of which every
buyer ought to look before completing his purchase.
The more deeply.seaed ailments and intricate com.
plants not TO be detected at glance, sometimes
not after Thorough examination even by Judge;
to aude to them, therefore, for the benefit of novice
would be worse than absurd
In speaking of the age Of horses, we observed be-
fore, that the number Of years which the animal has
lived is indicated, up to his seventh year. by marks in
the teeth Of both jaws, but principally Of the bower
jaw, which vary every year until the eighth, when
they become Obiterated. We added that they diff
fcult to learn, and impossible TO explain without the
aid of diagrams. We should perhaps have said also
that there is system Of jockey rascality by which
false marks forged the teeth Of aged horses,
making them appear to be six years old, which
may deceive and often do deceive, novces, but are
thrown away on judges and old hands. This system
is called BishoPng, and is executed by the use of
file and the usual cautery. There are, however, some
sgns Of extreme age in the horse which can easily be
recognized by any one, Of which are infallibe
One of these is the fact that in young horse the
of the tooth is oblong rather obovate in FORM
lsngthtise, in the line of the jawbone; but that in
very old horses the change their shape and be-
come oblong or obovate across the jaw.bone. When,
therefore, the tooth has assumed this form has
become much modified from the longitudinal shape, it
is certain that the horse is too old to be desirable ac
QUESTION. second sign is the length Of the teeth
from the root to the crown and their protrsion
like those of the hare or rabbit; in both which par
tcuars the increase is regular with the increase Of age
Indeed the degree of this protrusion is said to be
certain and infallibe that machine has been invented
by the French veterinarians fOr measuring the angle of
protrusion by which it is alleged that the exact age
can be ascertaned up to any known period of equine
life Without undertaking to answer for this, we
should advise buyer always 10 look to the points
mentioned; as it is extreme age which seeks to
avoid with reason, not maturity, even the CON-
mencemcnt of decline. Except to racing man, it
matters little whether the horse he buys be four six,
eight or nine years old, provided that he be sound,
suitable in other respects and free from the effects and
marks Of hard labor and and tear; remembering
always that if the buyer requires horse for immediate
hard use, he should not purchase under six; and
if the animal be perfectly sound and fresh and clean in
his legs will be wiser to buy at eight or nine than
younger
We now come to the eyes, which Of all the parts Of
the horse are except the legs, of the most vital i'm
portance and in which it is often the most difficult to
detect mperfection. There some species Of blind
ness which to a common observer give sign, and in
many instances the writer has known the eye Of horse
nearly sone blind to be looked at casually by pur
chaser and passed as needing no further scrutiny
"There is nothing" says YOuatt, which deserves
so much attention from the purchaser Of horse as
the perfect transparency Of the eornea Tor CLASSY and
transparent portion of the eye the whole of its
"surface The eye should be examined for this pur.
pose both in front and with the face Of the examiner
close to the cheek Of the horse under and behind
"te eye The latter method Of looking through the
coea is the most satisfactory, far as the trans
"parency Of that part of the eye is concerned During
"ths examination the horse should not be in the open
ar but in the stable, standing in the doorway, and
little within the door. II any small, faint whitish
line. appear to cross the cornea or any part OF 1t,
they art assuredy signs of previous inflammation;
"or although the center and bulk Of the ecnea should
be perfectly clear yet il around the edge Of It, where
il unes with The scierOtca Tor hard interior cover
ing Of the back Of the eye, there should be narrow
ring or circle of haziness, the conclusion il equally
"true but the inflammation occurred at more dis
tant period. Whether however, the inflammation
las lately existed or several weeks or months nave
elapsed since II was subdued there is every proba-
bility that il viii return. There is little caution
"to be added. The conea in its natural state, Is not
only beautifully transparent body, but 1t reflects
"ey,n in proportion to its transparency many OF the
rays which fall upon IT, and if there be white OBJ
"ject immediately before the eye, as very light
wastcoat or much display of white neckcoth, the
reflection may puzzle an experienced observer ana
lds mislod scereess one, i is hardly necessary 10
observe that the existence Of white lmy spot on any
portion Of the cornea or, sA worse an opaqe hliny
condition Of the whole of that beautiful and delicate
membrane IL fatal defect the latter indicating total
loss Of sight the result either of specific ophthama
or of cataract. But it may be well TO mention very
practical and simple mode Of ascertaining how lar
the powers of sight in horse or are not
effected. Holding him gently by the head's'a','
let the observer place himself in front OF the ahDn
and her caressing him and rubbing his nose so US 70
avoid giving him sudden ALARM let him move his 'l
gers rapidly toward and across bis eyes, ca'eul'y
noting how far he starts back wnks his eyeAis'
Care must be had in This experiment not 10 move 'e
hand with 60 much violence to cause carIen' %
air; for that striking the delicate surface oil ',,
organ, even when it is totally bereh Of vi'ion' WIN
sometimes cause the animal TO wink aIsi even 10 '''
| hack. a. if he saw the motion which produced IL.
Next 10 thc eyes, the wind a. it is common!
or the CONDITION Of the lungs Of the animal! - 10 DC eA
anired and this is liable to 50 many moail'l
L Ia n N .