THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 55 



propelling themselves forward when they are attached 

 to TOO great weights, thus the ligaments of the joints 

 become injured, and not being looked to early an 

 exostosis takes place. 



Treatment. — Although horses afflicted with this 

 disease are not always lame, nevertheless, it constitutes 

 unsoundness. When lame, it is necessary to bleed in 

 the foot, which decreases the inflammation ; then ap- 

 ply a poultice made of bran and diluted vinegar ; after 

 which blister ; and if this does not remove the lame- 

 ness, as a last resource perform the operation of firing, 

 which is all that can be done. For the animal has so 

 much pressure on that part of the foot, that unless the 

 cure is attempted in the early stages of the disease, it 

 is generally irremediable ; as are likewise exostoses 

 of the navicular and coffin-hones, which often occur 

 with the Ringbone, and sometimes alone, especially in 

 old horses. 



Spavin, or Bone-Spavin, 



Is another disease which has been pronounced as 

 constituting unsoundness. Much has been said and 

 written on the subject, and more remains to be satis- 

 factorily explained ere a just distinction will be made 

 between many exostoses to which the hock of the horse 

 is subject. In " The Veterinarian," that excellent 

 writer on the horse, Mr. Youatt, makes the following 

 remarks on this point : — 



" Various diseases in the hock had been confounded 

 under the name of spavin ; but in his mind there was 

 as much difference between the common spavin (the 

 boDv union ])etween the metatarsals and the exostosis 



