CURB. 133 



ENLARGEMENT OF THE HOCK. 



The origin of this is a sprain or inflammation, affecting 

 generally the hock-joint, produced principally from some 

 sudden or violent concussion ; checking the horse abruptly 

 when going at a rapid pace, or from the animal being com- 

 pelled to draw a greater weight than his strength will 

 enable him to do comfortably. Considerable lameness, with 

 tenderness of the parts, always accompany this ; but these 

 are not so difficult to remove as in more limited inflamma- 

 tion. It will yield to i-est and fomentation in general ; 

 but, if not, it will be necessary to have recourse to firing, 

 which generally proves effectual. However, it too frequently 

 happens that the enlargement of the whole joint remains. 

 But this will not incapacitate him for work ; and if treated 

 with ordinary caution, he may be worked during the re- 

 mainder of his life without any increase of swelling or 

 inflammation returning, although the parts around the hock- 

 joint are altered in structure, and to a certain extent 

 weakened. Although a horse may never afterwards exhibit 

 lameness, still, where permanent swelling of the hock-joint 

 exists, he is, in point of fact, regarded as unsound ; because, 

 if he happen by necessity or accident to be subjected to 

 extra hard work for a day or two, he is almost certain to 

 become lame, and that too for life. Still, however, many 

 a good and useful horse has enlargement of the hock. 



CURB. 



A curb is situated some inches below the point of the 

 hock, (see plate 7, fig. 3, a, and fig, 8, e^ and is an enlarge- 

 ment of the ligamentary bands of the part. When the 

 limb is viewed from the side, a gradual puffing out of this 

 part will be observable ; and if it is at all large or inflamed, 



