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himself behind the horse, (and in examining the 

 horse behind, he should always direct the helpei 

 to pick up the fore-foot,) he will perceive that the 

 bone of the diseased hock does not incline gradually 

 towards the lower part of the limb, (as will be the 

 case in the other leg, if that is sound,) but projects 

 abruptly. The unpractised eye does not readily 

 observe this : but by drawing the hand down the 

 inside of both hocks, the abrupt projection will be 

 felt. If there is any tenderness on pressure, though 

 this is not always the case, the existence of disease 

 may be yet more certainly predicated ; and it is 

 always a circumstance to excite suspicion, even 

 when no external enlargement can be seen or felt, 

 if there is the appearance of recent cutting on the 

 inside of the fetlock joints, or a dragging of the 

 hind leg at the beginning of the trot, or a project- 

 ing " staring " appearance of the hair at the part 

 which is usually affected by spavin. 



Another disease that is also called a spavin, but 

 distinguished by the name of bog-spavin, is in its 

 origin the reverse of the last. It arises from too 

 great an accumulation of synovial fluid, and cor- 

 responds in character with the complaint already 

 described under the term of wind-galls ; it proceeds 

 from over-exertion. It does not necessarily produce 

 lameness, but it unfits a horse for severe labour. 



