well, are held as sound by owners, servants, acquaintances, and casual
observers; but a practical eye would detect an inequality in their
going, as a watchmaker would do the same in the movement of a watch,
though we might look for a week, or listen for the same length of time,
without being able to either see or hear the variation. The watch might,
however, on the average keep fair time; but it would not be a perfect
one; and what matters, if it answers all the purposes for which we want
it? A really bad watch that can not keep time is a different affair;--it
is pretty much the same with a horse. If the unsoundness is such as to
render him unable to do his work, or even to do it unpleasantly to
himself or owner, or if it is likely to bring him to this, our advice is
to have nothing to do with him. If, however, this is not the case, or
likely to be so,--if you like him--buy him.

It is not improbable that a man may say, I begin to believe that few
horses that have done work are quite sound; but a sound one I will have;
I will, therefore, buy a four-year old, that has never done a day's
work. We will acknowledge that if he does so, he may probably get his
desideratum; but do not let him make too sure of this. There are such
things as four-year olds, unsound, as well as worked. But, supposing him
to have got this sound animal; what has he got? An animal that he has to
run the risk of making useful, so far as teaching him his business goes;
and by the time this is effectually done, and the colt has arrived at a
serviceable age, he will probably be quite as unsound as many of those
he has rejected; independent of which, and supposing him to continue
sound, the breeder of this horse must have better luck or better
judgment in breeding than his neighbors, if more than one in five or six
that he does breed turn out desirable horses in every respect. If he
turns out but a middling sort of beast, it is but small satisfaction to
know that he is sound; in fact, so little satisfaction should we feel,