CHAPTER V 

 COMMON DISEASES OF THE HORSE^ 



By T. EATON JONES, F.R.C.V.S. 



I. HEREDITARY DISEASES 



Hereditary diseases are those transmitted from parent to off- 

 spring, and must be distinguished from those which, on the other 

 hand, are known as acquired diseases. While it is of the first 

 importance that the breeder should assure himself of the sound- 

 ness of the sire and dam, it is also of importance that the sire 

 and dam's parents should be sound, even going back to remoter 

 generations if at all possible to do so. 



Hereditary means, practically, like producing like, and from the 

 foundation of all breed societies, certain diseases have been 

 scheduled on their lists which debarred animals affected with 

 them from competition in the various classes. It is therefore of 

 paramount importance that, no matter how trifling the unsound- 

 ness may appear to be, the breeder should start with a fair 

 chance of producing sound stock, so that when the young animal 

 is born he may be satisfied that it will be through no fault of his 

 own, should it prove unsatisfactory from a soundness point of 

 view. In addition to the diseases which are scheduled as causing 

 unsoundness, such as ringbone, sidebone, roaring, &c., it has, in the 

 writer's opinion, been lost sight of that there are other constitu- 

 tional diseases which should be included in the category of heredi- 

 tary diseases, such as tuberculosis (consumption), rheumatism, &c. 



The diseases scheduled by the breed societies, the leading 

 shows, and the Government (i.e. the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries) are as follow: — 



Roaring, whistling, unsound wind, shivering, stringhalt, ring- 

 bone, sidebone, navicular disease, spavin, cataract, and unsound 

 feet. 



There are also other diseases which, although not scheduled, 

 must be included in the breeder's own list, such as curb, curby 

 hocks, splint, small feet or odd feet. Some breeders also include 



^ An index to the diseases will be found on p. 259, 

 167 



