by an excessive secretion of the synovial matter 

 supplied for lubricating the joint. They are pre- 

 cisely the same in character as the swelling of the 

 bursa mucosa below the knee-pan in the human 

 subject; a soft, elastic enlargement of the gland, 

 to which housemaids and char-women, accustomed 

 to clean floors while kneeling, are particularly 

 liable. The purchaser will at once discover them, 

 not only by the eye, but by the peculiar pulpy 

 feel that is found on pressure. Where he finds 

 this defect, he may consider the horse unfit for 

 severe work, for he has already done too much, 

 but not necessarily unsound. I have lately pur- 

 chased a mare which is subject to this complaint; 

 her hind legs are remarkably "puffed." I have 

 had her in regular work for about six months, 

 and I find that she is scarcely able to carry weight 

 in the saddle, though she has no other symptom of 

 disease. She goes very safely, however, in harness, 

 but occasionally drops behind, as if from debility. 

 I do not consider wind-galls to be any serious 

 objection to a draught horse. 



A strain of the back sinews, (which I may ex- 

 plain to the unscientific reader, are the tendons of 

 those muscles that are attached to the arm of the 

 leg, between the knee and the shoulder,) is an 

 injury of common occurrence : the outward symp- 



