HOW TO BUY AKD SELL. 39 



If completely formed and low down, quite away from 

 the joint, and rather behind, and the horse goes sound, 

 having hocks otherwise perfect, do not reject him. 



These also occasion difference of opinion. You never 

 find a hunter that has done any work, without his having 

 either the seat of curb or that of spavin enlarged. He is, 

 nevertheless, sound, and capable of doing work better 

 than the younger ones. Both diseases are brought on by 

 the same causes. Perhaps, of the tw^o, the sj^avin is more 

 the result of severe work, when there is generally some lit- 

 tle stiffness. Too often the groom treats the wrong 

 places; or if he does treat the right ones, yet the evil is 

 only deferred, for if the horse is continued at severe 

 work, the spavins will form and re-form. Proj)er treat- 

 ment may prevent their being of the larger size, and may 

 lessen the evil. When they have formed, and the horse 

 does his work like the rest of the old ones who have gone 

 through the same process, the groom commends himself 

 for the result, and the owner congratulates himself upon 

 the improved constitution (strength) of the horse. 



Taking all parts of the hocks into consideration, if 

 they are affected by what is termed enlargement on the 

 seat of spavin, the disease being determined, and not 

 likely to increase, I need hardly say that, if the horse goes 

 sound, he is, according to common sense, Sound. 



The law, how^ever, being unsettled, cases having been 

 decided both ways, the best way is, as in the case of 

 curb and other diseases, to except spavins in the war- 

 ranty. 



Here it may he as well to state the opinion of a well- 

 known sportsman and horseman, not on account of its 

 being an exclusive opinion of his own, but as the opinion 

 of most practical men of his class. He states, that there 

 are no hunters without curbs or spavins, or both, and 

 that they are Sound. 



Horses with enlarged hocks, going sound, are sold al- 



