LEGS OF THE HORSE, THEIR ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES. 317 



How to know it. — In the early stage there will be lameness, more or 

 less acute, according to the amount of injury to the joint. The lameness will 

 be distinguished by a stiffness in moving from side to side in the stall, 

 by backing out and going off on the toe of the foot for a few steps, but 

 soon improving with exercise till he will go all right after having gone a 

 few steps, and remains so till stopped and allowed to cool off, when he 

 will go off worse than ever, until warmed up again. The cause of this 



CURED BONE SPAVIN. BONE SPAVIN. 



is : By standing the joint becomes dry, and great pain attends the flex- 

 ion of it, but the exercise excites the secretion of synovia, (joint oil) 

 which lubricates it, and the horse is comfortable till the joint gets dry 

 again. 



Upon pressure, a soreness and heat will be found, usually just at the 

 bottom of the joint on the inside, ])ut well to the front. A. slight amount 

 of swelling may l)e noticed, but not much until the aecorid stage is 

 reached, when a hard, bony enlargement will spring up and extend more 

 or less, sometimes only involving the splint, cannon and the first bone of 

 the gliding joint. But at other times it extends clear around and in- 

 volves all the gliding joints, the calois and cuboid parts of the joint, and 

 it leaves bony deposit around the tendons ])otween the splint bones at the 

 back of the hock. The enlargement is best seen by standing at the side 

 of the horse, about a yard from the shoulder, when, instead of the 

 smooth, straight declination of the inside of the hock, you will detect 

 the lump just above the end of the cannon. Sometimes the lump is 

 farther back ; then it can be seen better by stooping down in front, and 

 looking between the fore leg". Occasionally it will be seen only on the 

 back part of the hock ; ther it usually escapes detection even by ex- 

 perts. 



What to do. — If taken when it is in the first stage, before any effusion 

 is thrown out, it can be cured by treating vigorously to remove the in- 

 flammation. This is best done by continuous applications of hot water 



