532 CHAPTER 70. 



roughing up the hair thereon to see if there is any scar or -' broken 

 knee." In case of doubt a wet sponge passed over the knee may reveal 

 the unevenness of a cicatrix. 



14. Pass your hand down the front of the Shank bone, grasping it 

 lightly, and pass it on to the fetlock and coronet bone, when any en- 

 largement, splint, Chap. 33, or ringbone, par. 628, or side-bones, other- 

 wise termed ossified cartilages, par. 633, ought to be felt, i. e. detected. 



15. Then turn round, and with the left hand examine the back part 

 of the same near fore-leg for sprains of Tendons and Ligaments, Chap. 

 44 ; mark of Speedy cut, pars. 618 and 1000 ; Brushing, par. 999 ; Wind- 

 galls, par. 644, etc. 



16. Pick up the near foot, and see that it is all right, Chaps. 62 and 

 65. 



17. Ascertain whether the horse has been Neurotomised, par. 1026. 

 The operation is performed in the hollow just above the fetlock, and at 

 the side of the pastern. If so, a scar will be left and detected, if the 

 hair is roughed up. 



18. Bend back the knee to see if the point of the fetlock will touch the 

 forearm, as it ought to do if the knee is all right. 



19. Give the foot to the groom to hold, and stoop down and see if 

 the abdomen and groin are clear of any swelling or fistula, and in case of 

 a horse examine the sheath. 



20. Go through the same process in the hind as you have done in the 

 fore-leg. Commence by standing, as before, eight feet from the horse 

 at a right angle to the rear line of the hock. In this position you will 

 best detect curb, if any (par. 702), also thoroughpins (par. 641). Then 

 carefully feel for spavin, Chapter 38. N.B. The best position from 

 which to detect, i. e. see any enlargement on the seat of spavin is to 

 stand in front of the horse and look between his fore-legs ; but it must 

 also be felt and ascertained to be bone. There may be enlargement such 

 as a thickening of the integuments, resulting from a blow or a distended 

 vein which may not be bone. The worst class, however, of spavins are 

 those between the bones, which can neither be seen nor felt ; and their ex- 

 istence can only be surmised by the nature of the stiffness in the action 

 of the hock which they produce, par. 604. 



Thoroughpins are 'also easily seen on the side of the hock, par. 641. 



21. Pass your hand down the front of the shank bone, lightly grasp- 

 ing it, when any defects, enlargements, ringbone, etc., will be at once 

 detected. 



22. Pass your hand down the rear part of the near hind leg to the 

 foot and note any enlargements, such as windgalls and callous thickening 

 from a blow. 



23. Lift up the tail and see if that region is perfect, especially if a 

 mare. 



24. Then go to the horse's head on the off side and proceed as 

 directed for the near side, again finishing at the tail. 



25. This manual survey need take very little time, not more than ten 

 minutes. 



