LEASH
,—the sporting term in use to imply the number THREE, as exceeding ONE, and not reaching TWO brace; for instance, a brace of hares, a leash of pheasants, and two brace of partridges. A brace of pointers, a leash of greyhounds, and two brace of spaniels. Custom, however, in this, as in most other things, admits of deviation and exception; in proof of which we say, a brace of spaniels, a couple and a half of hounds, and two brace of pointers. A brace of snipes, a couple and a half of woodcocks, and two couple of rabbits. It is therefore confident, and sportsman-like, to say, a LEASH of birds, (partridges,) a leash of pheasants, a leash of hares, or any other article where TWO are termed a BRACE; but improper to call three a LEASH, where two of the kind are called a COUPLE.
LEGS
.—The legs of a horse are, in their length, shape, and construction, so material to graceful and expeditious action, that they become, at the time of purchase, objects of minute inspection: if observed too long, in proportion to the DEPTH of the CHEST, and the LENGTH of the CARCASE, they may be considered a tolerable criterion of constitutional weakness, as few of this description are found equal to a constant repetition of even moderate work. Too straight in the lower part of the leg, with the hoof overhung by the fetlock, is an indication of stiffness and constraint in action; as, on the contrary, those who are exceeding long in the lower joints, and whose pasterns extend the hoof considerably before the leg, with a palpable bend or flexibility in walking, and the heel nearly down to the ground, are mostly horses of speed, (so far as their strength will permit;) but they are in general weak in those parts, and there is always a well-founded fear of their breaking down. The legs and feet are constantly liable to injuries, accidents, and defects, as CRACKS, SPLENTS, THRUSHES, &c. all which are explained under their different heads.
LEGS SWELLED
—originate in various causes; but from none so much as a sizey, viscid state of the BLOOD, a laxity of the SOLIDS, a shameful neglect of stable discipline, or a great deal of work at one time, and no regular exercise at another. That swelled legs arise from different causes, is sufficiently demonstrated by the opposite state of their external appearance in the examination of different subjects; where the legs of one shall be found distended to the utmost possible extent of the skin, with a degree of tenseness from the knee or hock downwards, not submitting to pressure, and without the least cutaneous pliability whatever. These are the kind of swelled legs occasioned by stagnant fluids, originating in the sizey and viscid state of the blood. When they are equally distended, but pliable in the skin, yielding to pressure, and resuming their previous extension, it may be justly concluded, they proceed from a laxity of the solids, and a want of regular exercise without, and manual labour (leg rubbing) within. Proceeding from which ever cause, they are productive of temporary anxiety; and the cause should be removed without delay. Bleeding, with evacuants, and a course of alteratives, will expeditiously eradicate the former; cordial invigorants, malt mashes, moderate exercise out, and regular bodily friction and leg-rubbing within, will soon obliterate the latter.
LESSONS
,—in the language of the MANEGE, are what is received by man, and given to the horse, according to the purposes for which they are designed, or the particular duties they are destined to discharge. Diverted of the practice of the schools, there are lessons which every man has it in his power to inculcate, and which never should be relaxed from, till the horse has attained a degree of perfection in those points, which render him a pattern of obedience, and consequent object of attraction to others, and a valuable acquisition to the owner. The first and principal is, never to let him move a single step forward, till his rider is firmly fixed upon his back, or his driver seated in his carriage; the same rule of standing perfectly still, being as invariably persevered in at the time of dismounting or alighting; by which some degree of safety will be insured; and it will soon become as habitual to the horse, as to those who RIDE or DRIVE him. He should always be accustomed to his own side of the road upon every emergency, which every horse soon knows from habit, and will not, but with reluctance, or upon compulsion, take the wrong, whatever may be the occasion; to a want of which very prudent, and very necessary precaution, may be attributed a majority of the accidents which so frequently happen in and round the Metropolis.
LEVERET
—is the term for a young HARE during her first year, or till FULL GROWN.