io8 EXAMINATION OF HORSES 



it be a hernia and you gently grasp it whilst someone 

 '' coughs " the horse, you feel it momentarily enlarging ; 

 to test for hydrocele you hold a candle in a dark place, 

 close to the scrotum, and you find the scrotum semi- 

 transparent. 



In passing along the near side of the body you now 

 come to the prominent point of the ilium (anterior iHac 

 spine), and not unfrequently find some of it fractured. 

 When it is whole you can grasp its two ends and feel that 

 both points are in situ, or you can, on standing square 

 behind the horse, compare these prominences on each 

 side. When this prominence is knocked off it gives the 

 horse's quarter a comely rotund appearance. When it is 

 fresh done it sometimes causes lameness for a few days, 

 but it rarely does so afterwards, — indeed I never heard of 

 it being any detriment in any way beyond giving the 

 horse an odd appearance when viewed from behind. 



See that the large gluteal muscles are well-developed 

 and are all right, then pass over the front part of the 

 thigh occupied by the quadrati muscles down to the 

 stifle joint. This is the largest joint in the body, and is 

 frequently the seat of disease, but when it is so lameness 

 results, which prevents our ever having to examine such 

 a subject for soundness. The patella has over it a large 

 bursa, which sometimes, but rarely, is found enlarged. 

 This may be filled with serum and so require a trifling 

 operation before being considered sound. Whilst at this 

 part cast another glance at the scrotum, sheath, and 

 inside of the thigh, and pass down to examine the part 



