122 CAUSES OF UNSOUNDNESS. 



differ somewhat in their views regarding curb, and 

 its relationship to the soundness of the animal. 

 Some are of opinion that it should be always a 

 cause for the rejection of an animal, whereas 

 others do not think so, unless accompanied by lame- 

 ness. Legally speaking, it does constitute un- 

 soundness, and it is only right to reject an animal 

 for it, more especially if the hocks have that con- 

 formation which is regarded as predisposing to 

 its production. The size of a curb bears no relation- 

 ship to the presence, or absence, of lameness. It is 

 chiefly during the formative stage that lameness 

 is present, but curb is an occasional cause of 

 intermittent lameness. Both hght and heavy 

 horses are hable to spring a curb, but it is 

 more frequent in roadsters, hacks, and hunters, than 

 in cart horses. The so-called '' curby hock" is 

 sickle-shaped, or over-bent, but some veterinary 

 surgeons do not attach a great deal of importance 

 to this conformation of the hock in its relation- 

 sliip to the production of curb. Dealers often 

 present horses for examination as to soundness 

 with well-developed curb upon one or both hocks, 

 pretending, at the same time, to be unaware of its 

 existence ; in fact, some are incHned to dispute its 

 presence if they think that the intending buyer 



