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.
Blowing Air Under the Skin.
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.
Stopping a Switcher.
Apart from operating upon the muscles of the tail to prevent switching, which often is a bad vice in mares, dealers resort to the following trick: The tail is tied up over the horse’s back as tightly as possible and left in that position over night. It becomes so numbed by this treatment that the horse is unable to use it for half a day or so after it is let down.
The switching habit is also mechanically prevented, when the mare is hitched, by fastening a strand of the hair or string from each side of the tail to a part of the breeching of harness.
Tail switching is less likely to be noticed by the buyer if the tail is tied up or braided. Therefore, it is well to let the tail down for this and other reasons before deciding to buy the horse.
The Turpentine and Gasoline Tricks.
Temporarily to lessen or remedy the lameness of a footsore horse, turpentine heated to the boiling point is poured into the sole of the foot. It can be held there for five minutes by binding a bandage around the foot so that the turpentine cannot run down over the hoof-head. The buyer may readily detect this trick, as the odor of turpentine gives it away when the hoof is examined.