Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-06-05

tricks in the horse-dealing business,
but whether that be true or not, it is
certainly important for the would-be
purchaser to understand what he
wants, what the work to be done re-
quires, and what constitutes a sound,
serviceable horse for the place to be
filed. 1t is also absolutely necessary
to consider every horse unsound until
proved the contrary, no matter from
whom he is purchased. Friends and
relatives, when it comes to a horse
deal, are to be considered the same as
strangers until the business has been
completed. Even the deacon is not to
be given any credit unless the horse is
has to sell corroborates in appearance
and performance the qualities he
sentiment in the matter-simply bust
ness sense.
For the above reasons, when the
neighbor has horse for sale, and our
reader goes to inspect the animal, he
should go unawares, if possible, and
see the horse, first in the stall and af-
terward in action. This is necessary
for the reason that when horse is at
rest in his stall some things will show
up that could disappear when he is
trotted, or be overlooked were he first
seen out of doors. For instance, when
looking at a horse in his stall his
TANKS should be watched for abnormal
breathing, indicating ''heaves"-a
trouble often temporarily alleviated by
drugs when the visit of the intending
purchaser has been anticipated, and
at the same time glance will show
whether a strap is buckled tightly
around the neck back of the ears, in
dicating that the horse is a wind
sucker"
We next step up beside the horse
and examine the manager, which is al
ways chewed a great deal If the ami
NAL is 'cribber," and, finding such
evidences, it is but a moments work
to open the mouth and find II the in.
cisor teeth corroborate the suspicion.
Next the horse is made to stand
over" in his stall. If he has SPAWN
and is lame from 1t he will jerk the
affected leg as he steps and this may
also be done as an evidence Of "cho-
rea" shivers or crampiHess. The lat
ter disease, which is incurable, is still
better seen as the animal is made to
back out of the stall. For the first
few steps the hind legs will be jerked
higher than normal, but when he is
trotted, or even walked, there may not
be a trace of this unosundness to be
seen, except, possibly, when he is
suddenly turned.
After the lat rest" examination he
should be placed on a level floor.
Watch him for a few minutes. and if
he is sore-footed the foot causing pain
will be stuck out in front of him, or
the hind feet will be eased, turn
about, persistently. Walk around
him and form a general idea of his
shape and quality and suitability in
size, weight and bone.
If all these things are satisfactory,
next have him walked and trotted,
and note his kat, with any departure
from normal, free, open or sound &C.
ton.
If he stands these tests, the serious
examination commences, and this
must be a most critical one IL the
price asked indicates a valuable ami
NAL and absolutely sound. If cheap
horse, and only sold "serviceably
sound" the examination need only be
for wind and lameness, and then
search for anything that will be likely
to make him useless, either temporar-
lily, during busy seasons, or perma-
nently, at once, or in the near future.
Commence at the head and examine
the teeth for age; parrot mouth, which
makes it difficult to Craze; diseased
molars, which are indicated by foul
odor; discharge from the nostrils or
a wad of food in the cheek; injured
bars where the bit presses on the floor
of the mouth; lacerated tongue or I'LL
cerated tongue and gums. Glance at
the nostrils for discharge. red spots,
ulcers or tumors in the false nostrils.
Now test the sight by slightly lifting
the hand as If to strike the eye, which
will make him wink II he can see.
Look at the eye and the lids. Where
a horse had had several attacks of
periodic ophthalmia (moon blinders),
the lids will be wrinkled and blush
tinge appear over the eye, or irregu-
larity of the tour of the cornea, while
white spots may tell of cataract or
merely of injuries that have not ef-
fected the eyesight Examine the
bones of the,lower jaw for departures
from normal also those of the face I'M
der the eyes for engagements, posi-,
bly, showing disease of molar teeth or
chronic catarrh.
Assesses under the jaw will be
easily found, If present, and indicate
strangers" in quite young horses,
but are suspicious in old ones, indicat-
ing diseased molar teeth and possibly
something worse. The hand is run
over the poll, where poll evil'' is To-
Gated, under the name for skin dis
ease, along the jugular groove and at
the throat latch, for abnormalities.
Then the withers are examined for
"fistula" or soles and the shoulder
for sweeny, collar boils or fbroid tu-
mors, and the elbow for shoe boil. The
fore limb is next examined carefully