16 BREEDING OF 



tibia. The inflammation which precedes this condition is 

 very frequently the hidden cause of lameness, and that 

 of a very chronic character. This condition may be ac- 

 companied by an outside swelling (Bone Spavin), or it 

 may not. If there is no outside swelling, there is no 

 way of making a positive diagnosis of this condition. 

 Therefore any lameness in the hind limbs that is of a 

 chronic character, and cannot be definitely located, 

 should be a sufficient cause to prevent the animal from 

 being sent to the stud for breeding purposes. 



BROKEN WIND. This disease is well known to be 

 inherited, and any animal suffering from it should be 

 avoided by the careful breeder. 



CATARACT This is a chronic disease of the eye, 

 and can be easily discovered by looking into the pupil. 

 If cataract is present there will be noticed a light col- 

 ored speck of varying size, from that of a pin head to 

 a spot large enough to fill up the entire pupil. This 

 disease is inherited beyond a doubt, and is a frequent 

 cause of blindness, and if a breeder wishes to obtain an- 

 imals with perfect sight there should be no horse with 

 a cataract allowed in the breeding establishment. 



CURB. This is a disease that very frequently causes 

 lameness. When present, even if the animal is not lame, 

 the selling value is very materially lessened, even in a 

 common grade of horses. How much more would be 

 the depreciation if it was a cause of lameness, and 

 thereby decreased the speed of a racing animal, the 

 animal being probably made worthless. I have known 

 a sire affected with curb to get colts, three-fourths of 

 which were affected with this disease before they were 

 six years old. In fact there are numerous instances 



