THE HOCK. 15 



the point, which may be detected by carefully 

 observing if they are both alike, you must 

 reject him also ; for this will denote a strain, 

 perhaps a curb. 



Capped hocks are a great objection ; they 

 proceed from blows, hurts, or contusions from 

 kicking, rarely, it is said, from a strain ; but 

 are apt to enlarge on work. When the hocks 

 are but very slightly capped (for if one is 

 capped the other is generally found so too), 

 they may give the appearance of the bones 

 of the points being long. Don't be deceived 

 in this way, but feel if there is anything like 

 a tumour there. 



The bog-spavin, a puffy swelling in front 

 of the bend, and a little towards the inside 

 of the joint, can never be mistaken if the 

 finger is pressed on the large vein that runs 

 over it, which will now sink in half an inch, 

 and when the finger is taken away, bulge out 

 again. If found in one hock, the other will 

 generally have it also; and therefore, as far as 

 this disease is concerned, though they may ap- 

 pear alike, they yet look full and fat, not lean 

 and dry, as they should do. Bog-spavin generally 

 looks larger in the middle of the day, the cold 

 in the morning before going to exercise acting 



