196 



Common Diseases of the Horse 



in a stall after a gallop an affected animal will show great uneasi- 

 ness of the limb. At the trot it will be found to go very much on 

 its toe. 



Treatment. — This should be similar to that of bone spavin, but 

 a longer time and more severe measures are necessary. The hock 



Firing Irons 



should be fired all over, inside and outside, with the exception of 

 the cap, and afterwards blistered several times. Even after this is 

 done, and from three to six months given, it is quite likely that the 

 patient will only be fit for slow work. 



Curby Hocks 



Curby hocks are those which, although not actually diseased 

 have every predisposition to become so. They may be described 

 as over-bent, and are of the " sickle " and " cow-hocked " kind. 

 Generally they have the bone known as the calcis, which forms the 

 point of the hock, unduly long and altogether too weak. 



The reader must not confuse "curb", which arises from a sprain 

 of the ligaments at the lower aspect of the back of the hock, with 

 "curby" hock, which is really a point of defective conformation. 

 The latter is extremely liable to disease, and will not stand wear. 

 Horses showing such defects will be very deficient in power of the 

 hind limbs, and if asked to move heavy weights will be found to 

 screw their legs, causing them to twist round on their hind toes 

 with the point of the hock turned outward at each step. 



Some people are inclined to doubt the wisdom of including 

 curby hocks in the schedule of hereditary diseases, but experience 

 has proved that there is little doubt of this defect being transmitted 

 from parent to offspring. However good the sire or dam may 

 otherwise be the breeder will always be well advised in declining 

 those with curby hocks for the stud, 



