CHAPTER V. 

 LEGS OP THE HORSE, THEIR ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES. 



I. BONE SPAVIN. II. BOG SPAVIN. III. OCCULT SPAVIN. IV. BLOOD SPAV- 

 IN. V. TIIOKOUGHPIN. VI. CURB. VII. RINGBONE. VIII. SPLINT. 



IX. SPRAIN OF BACK TENDONS OF THE FORE LEGS. X. BROKEN 



DOWN. 



1. Bone Spavin. 



Spavin IS an arbitrary name given to disease of the hock joint, in which 

 inflammation is an early symptori. Effusion follows it, and ossification 

 of the exudate forms a bony lump on the joint, usually on the inner 

 side near the front, but it may occur on any part of the joint. It always 

 affects the joints more or less and causes great lameness, which is usually 

 susceptible of a cure, but sometimes defies treatment, and permanent 

 lameness is the result. 



The hock joint is composed of a ti-ue hock joint that works like a hinge, 



and three flat gliding joints below 

 it before we come to the cannon bone, 

 and on each side of the cannon is a 

 splint bone the same as in the fore 

 leg. The connection between the 

 ;ij splint and cannon bones is ligamen- 

 tous. The spavin usually takes its 

 origin between the cannon and the 

 inner splint bone, and extends up to 

 the joint and around it, and some- 

 times involving the whole hock, ex- 

 (Tpt the true hock joint, stiffening 

 i( and interfering Avith the action 

 \cry seriously. 



Causes. — It is often caused by a 

 -prain of the ligamentous connection 

 1h tween the cannon and inner splint. 

 Sometimes the sprain may affect the 

 ligamentous connection between the 

 (annon and the outer splint, but 

 nsnally it is on the inner side, on 

 account of the line of the center of gravity being more to the inside, bring- 

 ing more weight to the inside than to the outside. It is sometimes caused 

 by a bruising of the joint itself by kicking, jumping, running, pulling 

 heavy loads up hill, bringing great strain on the hind legs, 



314 



BONE SPAA'IX. 



