AS TO SOUNDNESS. 109 



between the stifle joint and the hock. There is one 

 pecuUarity of this region you should not overlook, 

 namely the exposed condition of the whole length of the 

 tibia on account of its being covered by skin only. 

 Were it not that it is more on the inside than in front, 

 or the outside of the limb, doubtless it would often come 

 to grief. As it is, it is frequently the seat of undisplaced 

 fracture received from the blow of another horse standing 

 in the next stall. When this is so the late Professor 

 Dick strongly advised rest for six weeks, although there 

 might only be the least possible mark upon the skin over 

 it, if there was lameness too. You can, if need be, feel 

 the entire length of this subcutaneous surface of the bone 

 and so detect any evidence of injury, should there be 

 such, -and an absence of lameness, which, fortunately for 

 all concerned, there seldom is, then in all probability 

 there is no material injury. 



We now come to the hock, which is one of the four 

 principal points we have to see are sound. It is difficult 

 to say which of the four points (eyesight, fore feet, wind, 

 and hock) is of most importance ; but I rather thmk the 

 above order represents their relative importance, so that 

 the hocks, though of least importance of the four points, 

 are still one of the most important parts of a horse. It 

 will be best for us to take a survey of the hock before 

 going into any description of its diseases, and treat it 

 much in the same way as we did the foot. The hock 

 and the structure below it, judging from their homologue, 

 the human foot, are one structure. In other words, the 



