THE FETLOCKS. 33 



as the outside, there is sometimes, in the other- 

 wise cleanest legs, an ossification. I have seen 

 this twice passed over by a judge, though it was 

 as large as an acorn : the feel and the difference 

 of appearance of the two fetlocks, on nearly a 

 front view, is sure to distinguish it. Ossifica- 

 tions at the sides of the fetlock, like spavins, 

 are sometimes large, without causing lameness ; 

 but they are invariably productive of some slight 

 stiffness, though not discernible to every eye. 

 If the enlargement is just above the inside of 

 the fetlock, and on the suspensory ligament, 

 lameness will generally quickly ensue on work. 



Immediately above, and in front of the fet- 

 locks, there is also frequently seen a kind of 

 dent, the fetlock looking as if there had been 

 too much stress on it; and so there has been. 

 This may be produced in a slight horse by a 

 single month's riding of too heavy a man, though 

 it will take many months, with rest and bandages, 

 before it resumes its primitive cleanness. When 

 it accompanies the large rounded shank bone, the 

 chances are, he has been long shamefully over- 

 weighted, as well as overworked; and horses in 

 this way, though neither standing with their 

 fetlocks knuckling over, ready to "bite the 

 dust," nor having windgalls, are often more or 

 less groggy, and you run the risk of some latent 



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