180 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



hocks close together, which no doubt arises from their 

 being subjected to greater strain. 



The symptoms of spavin are an unnatural formation 

 of bone, usually in one of the hocks, a stiff dragging 

 action of the hind leg — the toe generally being dragged 

 along the ground, instead of being lifted boldly over it, 

 by which means the toe of the hind shoe will be found 

 to be worn unduly. The greatest care should never- 

 theless be exercised before determining the existence of 

 spavin. Both the hocks should be carefully compared 

 — each from precisely the same site — and this exami- 

 nation will occupy a long time ; since it is most difficult 

 to get the horse to place both his legs in the same posi- 

 tion, and unless they are both in the same position the 

 most experienced eye often fails to detect the existence 

 of a spavin, and far oftener succeeds in detecting an 

 imaginary spavin ; which has ruined the reputation of 

 more professional men than any other false prognosis. 

 Unfortunately, when the case is a difficult one to decide, 

 many professional men adopt the phrase ( incipient 

 spavin, ' as a sort of umbrage for their ignorance ; but 

 such cunning rarely ever has the effect of satisfying an 

 intelligent owner. 



Very many hocks are formed with bones having an 

 excessive protuberance, which is perfectly natural, and 

 will be found to exist equally on both hocks ; but never- 

 theless hocks with this formation are rarely ever passed 

 by the military veterinary surgeons, whose singular 

 judgment on this head has frequently caused much 

 disappointment and annoyance. 



