When a HORSE is considerably advanced in _years_, but still _full_ in the _frame_, and _fresh_ upon his _legs_, it is a general rule, even with the best and most experienced judges, to form an opinion tolerably accurate by the _length_ of his TEETH; but this can by no means be considered infallible; as some horses carry a mouth _so much better_ than others of a less age, that it can constitute no certain criterion of decision.
CONDITION—is a word in frequent use with the sporting world, to express the state of a horse in respect to his health and external appearance. If low in flesh, rough in his coat, hollow above the eye, and depressed in his spirits, he is then said to be "very much out of _condition_." But, on the contrary, if full of good sound flesh, his skin loose and pliable, with his coat soft and sleek, he is then said to be in "perfect condition to start," if for the TURF; fine condition to _take the field_, if a HUNTER; or, if a roadster, to be in good condition to undertake his journey. Horses too full of flesh or of blood, are said not to be in _condition_, because they are not fit for strong exertions without the danger of disease: brought into constant work in such state, they soon, as it is termed, "_fall all to pieces_;" that is, if they escape inflammation upon some of the various parts, morbidity soon displays itself, either in a swelling of the legs, cracked heels, bad eyes, defective wind, cutaneous eruptions, tumours, or in one of the many ills to which horses in this state will always be subject.
Experience has so fully confirmed this fact, and custom has so firmly established the great prudence of prevention, that much disgrace and mortification is incurred by both MASTER and _groom_, who are so unfortunate as to have horses _out of condition_; and this is so perfectly understood in the present state of equestrian emulation, that the necessity for occasionally cleansing the frame by BLEEDING, PURGING, DIURETICS, or a course of ALTERATIVES, is not only almost universally acknowledged, but generally practised by every judicious and well informed SPORTSMAN in the kingdom.
CONSTIPATION—implies that state of the bowels, when, for want of the necessary secretion of mucus, their excrementitious contents acquire a degree of solidity bordering upon induration; the dung becomes too hard and adhesive, fœtid in effluvia, and dark or nearly black in appearance. A horse in such state should not be long neglected; inflammatory cholic and consequent danger may ensue; or an indurated mass may be formed in the intestinal canal, which no medicine may have the power to move in time to prevent mortification. Too nice attention cannot be paid to a horse's regular evacuations: if the body is evidently foul, he should be proportionally physicked. Circumstances not rendering that perfectly convenient, opening mashes might be adopted, and continued nightly (or oftner) till the constipation is removed.