The Ladysmith news and Ingram news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1906, 1905-12-02
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Points of the Horse.

horses for breeding purposes, a knowl-
edge OF desirable and undesirable
points is of considerable Importance
and value. One should, for instance,
know that when a horse carries his
ears rigidly, neither moving them
back or forward, he is probably deaf,
and a tendency to this trouble may
prove hereditary. On the contrary,
horse that is constantly moving his
ears is likely to be defective in eye
sight and is therefore using his ears
to make up for imperfect vision. we
also suspect that horse showing this
habit. will be likely to run away when
exposed to cause of fright or alarm,
and his disposition will not likely be
desirable in other respects. If the ears
are very small, it is common to find
small eyes in the same association.
This is characteristic of some breeds.
The Percheron, for instance, has some
what small ears and eyes, while the
Clydesdale has large hazel eyes and
better proportional ears, although
they may be somewhat coarse and
hairy, as is more seen in the English
Shire.
Rigid, upright ears are also char
acteristic of tetanus Clock jaw.
Where that disease is present it is
further shown by an infallible test
On raising the horses head the "haw"
(membrana nictitans or washers
of the eye protrudes from the inner
corner across the eyeball. One should
not purchase horse showing this
symptom. We know of only one in
stance in which it did not evidence
tetanus. One should beware Of wrin-
kled eyelids too, for they indicate in
most instances that the horse has suf-
fered one or more attacks of moon
blindness (periodic ophthalmia). In
addition to wrinkles one sees that the
eyelids under these circumstances are
not nicely arched or curved but are
likely to be angular, and careful ex-
animation may disclose a white ring
around the eyeball or white spot or
two on the pupil
The ring is suspicious; spot indi-
Gates cataract or result Of a blow;
the eye is unsound if deposit or dis
cOloration is seen at the lower part
Of the pupil. AS regards the eyes it
should also be remembered that blind
horses have sometimes wonderfully at
tractive, prominent, bright eyes.
Where such condition is found, the
blindness is due to amaurosis (glass
eye or palsy of the sight) and the
cause is paralysis Of the optic nerves
and retina. In sound eyes the pupils
should contract when exposed to the
Hight or coming from a dark place.
This does not occur when amaurosis
is present and the eyeball is seen to
be spherical instead Of eliptical-the
latter shape characterizing a sound
eye.
Conditions such as we have outlined
should be looked for when examining
a horse, and one should also test the
sight by very gently threatening to
strike the eye with the hand. Do not
make sudden, alarming pass at the
eye as the horse though blind will
feel column of air strike the face
and finch accordingly, or the hand
will strike the long hairs which pro-
trude from the face under the eye;
fear of very lightly aimed blow, just
the raising Of the fingers towards the
eye, should cause the horse to wink and
finch if the eye is sound, or at least
not blind. Coming to the nostrils one
should know that tricky dealers some
times plug one nostril with a sponge
to prevent a roaring horse from show
ing his unsoundness to- the prospec-
tive buyer. 1t is much better to dis
cover the sponge before buying than
TO. find it in the manger after getting
the horse home. Examination will
show that horse has two false nos
trlls in addition to the true nostrils.
Tumors or cysts sometimes so bulge
the false nostril as to reduce the cali
bre Of the true nostril and so cause
obstruction in breathing. Purple spots
seen on the membrane lining the nos
trils tell that the horse is affected
with purpura acknowledged, a dis
ease of debility seen to follow a Sc
we're attack Of influenza, etc. Ulcers
upon the lining membrane Of the par
tition between the nostrils denote
CHAMBERS. Bad odor associated with
discharge from the nostrils indicates
chronic catarrh or presence of a dis
eased molar tooth. A dropping lower
lip may be due to paralysis; it also in
dicates lazy, sluggish temperament
A. S. Alexander in Farmers Review.