, 1882-04-14
Buying and Judging Horses.

Buying and Judging Horses.
T. X. MoreIand, Of ST. Lawrence
county, New York, communicates 70 the
Country Gentleman the following;
Few persons have sufficient experience
and Judgment to select horse with any
reliable certainty Of getting what they
want. A farmer can buy pig and not
be deceived. 1t requires only a small
amount OF experience 10 select flock Of
sheep. Dairy farmers naturally acquire
considerable experience in regard to the
qualities OF dairy stock, as a result Of
constant care given 10 such stock, But
when it comes to dealing in horses those
who can rely wholly upon their own un-
aided judgment are few. There are so
many things requisite TO constitute a
good horse, and the absence Of many Of
these requisites is very hard to detect
The defects OF form, constitution and
Temperament are hard TO discover, and
very easy TO conceal temporarily. A
rough, hard skin, indicative OF poor di-
gestiOn, may he concealed IN measure
by good grooming. Many incipient
weaknesses and blemishes of the feet and
limbs are exceedingly difficult to detect
while the animal Is in motion. Horse
dealers are well aware OF this, and al
most always show off their animals TO in
tending purchasers by keeping them in
motion. Many men want TO see horse
put through his best PAGES, and very
often insist on it, There is a great mis-
take, as it really tells nothing, ard some
times conccals great deal, Defects Of
the feet or limbs can never be ascer-
tanned while The animal is IN motion, uu-
less in case of positive lameneSs, and
even then the extent and location OF the
injury can be ascertained with much
greater certainty while the animal is at
rest. 1T Is hard 10 ascertain whether
horse is balky or kicker, or has run
away until he has actually done it again,
The inexperienced purchaser can al
WAYS exact definite warranty from a
responsible seller, or in default Of such
warranty, can insist upon q chance to try
the horse. In any case where an honest
dealer wishes to sell horse for what the
animal is worth, he cannot refuGe to war
rant horse in any required particular.
Any other case savors strongly OF
an attempt to deceive one who has no
sufficient means of acquiring a knowl-
edge of defects and faults easy to be con-
cealed. Any honest dealer can have no
objection to any course that will give the
fullest information TO the intending pur.
chaser. 1t is easy to say that farmer
should raise his own horses; many farm
ers do not care to do this. Often farm
er is obliged to purchase; he cannot go
without horses, and it requires more
time to breed them. A farmer can not
always buy horse which he knows to
be good one, for quite likely the owner
OF that good horse wishes to keep him;
hence the necessity OF caution when buy.
ing horse.
An experienced observer gives advice
as how to Judge a horse as follows:
The weak points of horse can be bet
ter discovered while he is standing than
while moving. If he is sound he will
stand firmly and squarely on his limbs,
without moving any of them, the feet
planted fiat upon the ground, with legs
plumb and naturally poised. If one foot
is thrown forward with the toe pointing
to the ground and the heel raised, or if
the foot is lifted from the ground and
the weight taken from it, disease may be
suspected, or at least tenderness, which
Is precursor OF disease. II the horse
stands with his feet spread apart, or
straddles with his hind legs, there is
weakness of the loins, and the kidneys
are disordered. Heavy pulling bends
the knees. Blush or milky cast eyes in
horses indicate moon blindness, or some
th;p,y a1ea A boI tampara1 hnrQa kaanu
his ears thrown back A kicking horse
is apt to have SCARED legs. A stumbling
horse has blemished knees. When the
skin is rough and harsh and does not
move easily and smoothly to the touch,
the horse is heavy eater and his diges.
ton is bad. Never buy a horse whose
respiratory organs are at all impaired.
Place your ear at the side of the heart,
and if wheeling sound is heard it is an
indication of trouble-let him CO.