DEFECTS.] 



MODERN VETEllINARY PIIACTK^R. 



[u/.tKCTb. 



horse, or even when there is a disposition in 

 the horn to chip and bivak olV in a much less 

 di*f;rt'i> than this, tho animal may probably be 

 roturnud as unsountl ; for this briltlenoss ot'tlic 

 iTust is a didoaso ot the part, or it is such an 

 aitei-ed strncturoof it as to interfere materially 

 witli the usefulness of the horse. 



Sjjnrin is uiisoumlnoss, uhether tho bony or 

 the blood-spavin. In the first, lameness is pro- 

 duced, at least at starting, in ninety-nine cases 

 out of a hundred ; and there is enlargement of 

 the hoek, which rapidly spreads witli quick and 

 hard work, although tho horse may bo capable 

 of, and may even get better at slow work. If 

 there is no lameness, still a spavined horse 

 should be rejected, because the bony enlarge- 

 ment is too near a very important and compli- 

 cated joint, and on the least injury or sprain 

 of that joint, would spread over it, and materi- 

 ally interfere with its motion. 



Boff or Blood-spavin is unsoundness, be- 

 cause, although it may not be productive of 

 lameneds at slow work, the rapid and powerful 

 action of the hock in quicker motion will pro- 

 duce permanent, although not considerable 

 lameness, which can hardly ever be with cer- 

 tainty removed. 



SpUrit. It depends entirelj'- on the situation 

 of the bony tumour on the inside of the shank- 

 bone, whether it is to be considered as un- 

 soundness. If it ic not in the neighbourhood 

 of any joint, so as to interfere with its action, 

 and if it does not pi-ess upon any ligament or 

 tendon, it may be no cause of unsoundness, 

 although it is often very disagreeable to look 

 upon. It does not lessen the capability and 

 value of the animal. 



Stringhilt. This singular and very un- 

 pleasant action of the hind leg must be deter- 

 mined as a sign of unsoundness. It is an 

 irregular communication of nervous energy to 

 some muscle of the thigh, observable when tho 

 horse first comes from the stable, and gradually 

 ceasing on exercise. It has usually been found 

 in those horses that have a more than common 

 degree of strength and endurance; but, how- 

 ever this may be, it must be set down in the 

 catalogue of those morbific affections which 

 more or less deteriorate the qualities of the 

 horse. 



Thichening of the lack sineics. Sufllcient 

 attention id not always paid to the fineness of 



tho legs of tho In.rse. If the flexor tendons 



have been sprained ho as to produce con- 

 siderable thickejiing of tho ccllulur HubBtanco 

 in which tlieir sheaths aro enveloped, they 

 will long afterwards, or perhaps always, bo 

 liable to sprain from causes by wliich thev 

 would otherwise be scarcely alfected. Tii'o 

 continuance of any considerable thickness 

 around tho sheaths of tho tendons, indicates 

 [)reviou8 and violent sprain. Ti)i8 very tiiick- 

 ening will fetter the action of the tendons ; and 

 after much quick work, will, from the very 

 Iriction, occasionally renew the inflammation 

 and the lameness ; therefore, such a horse 

 cannot be sound. It requires, however, a littlo 

 discrimination to distinguish this from the 

 guDiminess or roundness of leg, peculiar to 

 some breeds. There should be an evident 

 difference between the injured leg and tho 

 others. 



Thorouglipin, except it is of great size, is 

 rarely productive of lameness, and therefore, 

 when unaccompanied by any such appearance, 

 cannot be termed unsoundness. As it is the 

 consequence of hard work, and now and then 

 does produce lameness, the hock should bo 

 most carefully examined, and there should be 

 a special warranty against it. 



Th'ush. There are various cases on record 

 of actions having been raised because of the 

 thrush in horses, and the decisions have been 

 much at variance, or perfectly contradictory. 

 Thrush has not always been considered oy 

 legal authority as unsoundness. AV^e, how- 

 ever, consider that it is so. This disease con- 

 sists of a discharge of foetid matter from tho 

 frog, accompanied with considerable tender- 

 ness of the part, and sometimes of the whole 

 foot. It is not uufrequently brought on by 

 the horse standing in the stable without exer- 

 cise; but it is most commonly caused by th'^ 

 negligence of the groom allowing tho frog to 

 become rotten from the filth of the stable. 



Wiiidgalls. There are few horses perfectly 

 free from windgalls, but they do not interfere 

 with the action of the fetlock, or cause lame- 

 ness, except when they are numerous or large. 

 They constitute unsoundness only when they 

 cause lameness, or are so large and numerous 

 as to render it likely that they will cause it. 



In the purchase of a horse the buyer 

 usually receives, embodied in the receipt, what 



163 



