AS TO SOUNDNESS. 125 



leading symptom. And yet some attach much import- 

 ance to it. If the toe of the hind shoe is more worn 

 than common it may be from 



1. Spavin causing pain and stiffness. 



2. Spavin causing stiffness but no pain. 



3. Slight contraction of hind tendons and ligaments. 



4. Habitual ''near" action. 



There are other causes, but if you are satisfied that other 

 causes than spavin will cause the toe of the shoe to be 

 unduly worn, then it is at best only a symptom and needs 

 much further evidence. Some horses with good clean 

 hocks are veiy liable to wear their shoes at the toe, and 

 you must not forget that the hind shoe is always worn 

 more in this situation, and that shoeing smiths always 

 make extra provision for it by putting an extra quantity 

 of iron in this part or upon it. When however the toe of 

 the foot itself is worn, then the defective action is very 

 pronounced ; but still, this is a symptom and not a sign 

 of spavin. I cannot too strongly impress upon you the 

 advantage of the sense of touch on which nine-tenths of 

 your evidence should be placed. Throughout my pro- 

 fessional life there is one operation for the cure of spavin 

 which has always been a favourite with me, believing as I 

 do that it is almost a certainty that a three months' rest 

 in a loose box will of itself " cure " spavin ; and I should 

 not mention it here except to warn you that this opera- 

 tion is performed on the sound hock to induce an enlarge- 

 ment over the seat of spavin so as to make both hocks 



