The owner should make a careful search for such causes of unsoundness should his horse mysteriously go wrong at the time when a trade is pending, and on recognizing the possibility of a trick it is better to call the deal off than to discount the price.
When a “gyp” dealer learns that a farmer is having difficulty in training a high-strung young horse, he tries to buy him at a discount, and unless closely watched will try to make the horse act mean when examined. He asks the owner to harness or ride the horse, and diverting his attention for a moment, applies an irritating substance to the heels, or some other part of the animal, causing him to kick, plunge and attempt to run away. He calls his secret dope “dog water,” “hop-up,” “soup” or “fog,” and its effect is intended so to disgust the horse owner that he will be glad to sell the fractious beast at a bargain.
Often, should a buyer visit a scalper’s stable in the city, he will be shown a fine-looking horse and attractive harness and wagon. The price asked for the horse and outfit is a low one, and the stranger jumps at the chance to acquire the property; but just as the horse is being hitched up, he begins to kick or behave badly under the influence of a dose of “soup.” The intending buyer immediately suffers from “cold feet,” and is readily induced to take an inferior horse. The fine horse and outfit are thus used times without number to attract buyers and assist in the sale of unattractive, cheap horses at profitable prices.
When the muscles of the shoulder have wasted away, constituting the condition termed “sweeny,” air sometimes is blown under the skin to give the part a plump condition. This trick is easily detected, for when the hand is passed over the inflated part it crackles (crepitates) showing the presence of air under the skin (emphysema). The same trick is practised to make an old horse appear younger than he really is, the hollow’s over the eyes being blown up by means of a hollow needle, quill or straw passed through the skin. For low hip and atrophy of the shoulder muscles we have also known tricksters to inject a two per cent solution of phenol under the skin and then thoroughly massage the part.