240 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



both bones are alike on each leg ; feel carefully round 

 between the joints of the upper and lower pastern, and 

 if there is any enlargement no doubt there is a ring- 

 bone forming. The hocks should be carefully ex- 

 amined for " thorough-pin." Notice if the point of the 

 hocks are swollen or what is called " capped," if they 

 are look out for a kicker. See if there is any enlarge- 

 ment about half way down the hock on the hinder 

 part of it, if there is he has a " curb," and it is sure he 

 has weak hocks. Examine narrowly the inside of the 

 hocks for bone spavin ; the writer has known some 

 dealers point to a large bone spavin and say the animal 

 had a fine bony hock. Descend to the feet and examine 

 for grease, look out for sand-crack in the horny sub- 

 stance of the hoof; see that there is no canker separating 

 the substance from the fleshy part of the foot. Look care- 

 fully under the heels of the shoes for a small stone ; if 

 you find one, be sure the horse has been "beaned." 

 This is done with a lame horse: — The bean is placed 

 with a pair of pincers under the heel of the 

 shoe of the sound foot; this causing the animal 

 great pain makes it tread heavily on the lame 

 foot, so that it has the appearance of being 

 sound, whereas it is actually lame on both fore legs. 

 A " beaned " horse has always a low action, and the 

 dealers will say it is only a natural low gait of action. 

 Disbelieve all their excuses, and err on the safe side by 

 rejecting the purchase. Sweeping as my readers may 

 think of this condemnation, it is unfortunately too 

 true, that this class of men are not to be depended 

 upon, and considering the risks that they themselves 



