Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-04-30
How to Buy a Horse.
Rural New Yorker.

stable, to see be has no tricks like that
,fput'ing one hind foot over tie
other In doing this he often cuts the
fore part of his hind foot with tie
sharp calks of his shoe, thus making
him lame for months When brought
out, do not allow him to be locked
in his PAGES. Take your stand on
one side of the road, and let him walk
naturally and quietly by !; then turn
and walk by, showing his otter side.
Now stand behind and have him walk
off in front of you aud from you; then
turn and walk towards you. Observe
il he goes freely and easily and plants
his hind feet ia the tracks Of his fore
feet. Next have him trotted by you,
and back and forth, watching his &C
ton closely. -aa n..
Now look at his eyes and make a
motion with your hand towards them,
as it you intended to strike. If be
winks quickly, or draws the head back,
the vision may be depended on gener-
ally as good, and no blindness in him.
Tue eyes should be moderately pro
minent. Sunken eyes are apt to get
blind az sthe horse grows old
and often characterize a vicious tenn
per. Examine the teeth and see that
they are sound, strongly set, and
even. Look at his fore legs and no.
tice if be has strong knee joints, and
that they are not sprung. Examine
the hind legs closely above and below
the hooks for any sweIlings. and es-
pecialiy for curbs and spavins. Now
look at all the pastern joints and see
if clear OF cuts from interfering, or it
there are any scars on them in eoasc-
quence of this. The pssterns should
be rather short for a carriage horse,
and not much slopiug. II the latter,
and long and elastic, they are apt to
give up at hard pull. Ia race.
horse such pasterns are less objection
able. 10 heavy draft animal they
are objectionable.
The feet are often passed over, but
a thorough examination of these is of
the utmost Importance. They should
be reasonably large, the hoof clear
and tough, free from cracks, not
shelly, and we'll set up at the heels,
otherwise they will soon wear down
on pavements or hard roads, and the
uorses become foot sore. If always
to be kept in the country to work on
farm or dirt roads, low heels are
not 30 Objectionable; lastly, regard
the inside OF the noofs and see that
they are tree from corns, and that
there is good sized frog to soften
the jar to the leg, when the foot
stamps on tue ground.
A.pony built horse is the best for
working in harness, while more
rangy-hodied one, with longer legs
may be preferable for the saddle, bnt
these should not be so long as to be
liable to weakness. The legs, from
he hooks and knees down, in all.
horses should be rather short than
long.
Ii the tail lifts hard and stiff it Is
usually an evidence of strong back
and quarters. If it lifts quite timber
and easily, the reverse is apt to be
the case.
AS to the age, this is readily
told by the teeth till seven years old,
unless they are "bishoped." 1t is usu-
al for j,ck es to call horse eight
then he is all the way from ten to
twenty but an adept can give a pref.
ty snrewd guess as TO this, for after
, ears old the eyes begin to sink, gray
hans come into the head. and there is
u want of youthful look. and vlvsci-
y.
After all, there is a great risk 10
bu, ing q horse, even from an owner
who IS truthful and honestly dis
po ed to speak of his failings; for in
many cases lie is really ignorant of
what these are or of incipieut diseases
which may be lurking in the system
ut the time of sale. AS for the tricks
OF jockies in hiding the age, faults,
and covering up diseases, they are
past finding out and when they trade
with each other even, the very smart
est and most knowing one gets chea'-
ed easily by one much more skIlIful
han himself in showing off horse.
IL is only after using horse for
months that pretty much all that
there is in him can be found out, and
VINE have known unexpected faults
and vices to turn up after possessing
one for years.
Ia tue city stables 50 many horses
are kept under the same roof, and
there is such want Of proper ven
tiatlon that "pink eye" and the
"horse distenper" are often preva.
lent there. or If not shown at the time
of purchase. these break out soon
after. 1t is safest to buy a borse
Immediately upon its arrival in town,
before he has a chance to get .diseas-
ed, and befor the sellers have time to
"slick him up Never mind a dirty
coat and rough looks; you can clean
the former and smooth the latter with.
out risk to the animal as coon as yon
get home, and after this be will prob.
ably show 20 to so per cent. better
than when you bought him. One rather
thin in flesh is safer to boy than when
fat, for this covers bad points, and