The Progress., 1894-01-06
THE FARM AND HOME.
WHAT CONSTITUTES UN-
SOUNDNESS IN HORSE.
Things That Every Horse Owner Ought
to Know-MakinG Sage Cheese-The
Quality of Corn Fodder-Farm Notes
and Home Hints.


Soundness and UnSoundness.
There is not horse owner in the
country who will fail to recognize
the desirability of having some light
thrown upon the important question
designated in the above heading.
The records of the proceedings in our
courts will fully attest the necessity
existing for obtaining tolerably clear
ideas of the leading nice points which
this discussion involves. two or three
times the price of many a valuable
animal having been in innumerablc
instances frittcred away in law eX-
pcnses, which a little timely study
OF the principles governing this
branch of knowledge might have OBJ
Waited. We propose, therefore, says
the American Cdltivator, to draw the
attention of our readers to this
branch of Jurisprudence, believing
that a careful perusal of our remarks
will have the effect of placing them
on their guard, and save, perhaps,
in many an instance. an unwelcome
bill of law and costs, the amount
represented thereby being available
for maintaining their horses in
h' th, or for employing competent
,rinary skill, should accident or
'case unfortunately render this
curse necessary, much moro
legitimate channel in our opinion for
the judicious employment of surplus
or available cash.
In explaining the various cases
which have occupied the attention of
the courts. both English and Amer
lean, the following seems to be the
general ly-acccptcd definition of
soundness: "A horse is sound when
be is free from hereditary disease, Is
In the possession Of his natural agd
constitutional health. and has as
much bodily perfection as Is consis-
tent with his natural formation.
IA horse is free from vice when
he has no bad habits which make
him dangerous, or that are injurious
to his health, or that in any way
diminish his usefulness.
Though the above definition is
perhaps the best that can be given,
actual experience shows that its ac-
reptance is not efIectual in doing en-
tirely away with disputes, which
eventually find their way into the
courts and drag their slow length
along, the purchaser soon becoming
alive to the fact that if he got
slow horse and a slow trial his money
Is leaving him with lightning cell
Gritty, and the seller having at last
some dim perception that ''all is not
gold that glitters." and being some
what mystifed as to the perplexing
question whether, after all, he him
self, as well as the horse, is really
"sOld," the only self-possessed and
happy figures in the group being the
legal advisers, who have presented
to them a glorious field for making
confusion worse confounded.
From what we have already said.
our readers will at once see with
what caution any one should pro-
ceed when warranting horse
"sound and free from vice." and that
on such an occasion he should have
dor discussion, always looking at the
possible contingency OF legal pro-
ceeding. Some owners will not under
any circumstances give the warranty
which many purchasers insist upon
having 1t is quite true that these
people effectually provide against
the unpleasant results which we
have mentioned as possible, but it
must not be forgotten that too
rigid observance of such ru le NAV
often do away with the chances Of
really desirable sale, and entail a
loss, which caution, tempered with
iudicious enterprise and confidence,
might have prevented.
Many of those under whose eyes
this article may fall may not be
aware how slight are the defects
which, in the eye OF the law, consti-
tute 'unsoundness. For example:
An abrasion, though hardly percep.
tble, and requiring but little care,
is an unsoundness until perfectly |
healed. Practically speaking. when
examining a horse as to soundness. |
the following rules should be OBJ
served: Have the horse to be ex-
amined, II possible, left in a box /
stsll three hours; then have the at
tendant lead him out, when the ex-
aminer or purchaser must carefully |
see II there is any stiffness; this is
the time and place the animal will
exhibit it most, If present
Then place the horse in the stable
with the head facing the door, so
that the examiner can observe
whether the pupils contract natur-
ally and alike. Then pass the hand !
over the poll to discover the TX
istence of poll evil if present, from
thence to the parotid and submax
illary regions to find whether there
is parotitis or induration OF the sub
glands. Closely examine |
the throat and find whether goitre
exists. Place the thumb trans
yerselv or the iupular vein in order |