The Ailments of Horses. 79 



Xature endeavours to repair the injury 

 by cementing the parts together with 

 new bony materiaL In young horses 

 this is usually completed, but in old 

 worn-out animals the disease exceeds the 

 reparative attempt. The exciting cause 

 of bone-spavin is concussion. 



How is one to detect a spavin ? — Com- 

 pare both hocks by the sense of touch. 

 This is the best guide, though it needs 

 experience. 



Large spavins can be seen at a glance. 



It may be asked. Is a spavined horse of 

 little value ? — Certainlv not, so far as 

 utility is concerned, unless the animal be 

 damaged in other respects. 



Cart-horses over five years, with good 

 strong hocks, though spavin be present, 

 are reckoned by some as good as an animal 

 without the malady. 



It is during the inflammatory stage — 

 i. e., whilst the spavin is being built up — 

 that the animal goes lame. The free 

 flexion of the hock, in horses of quick 

 action, is, of course, 'necessarily diminished. 



Treatment. — Rest during inflammatory 

 process. Cooling applications to the 

 inflamed hock. Dose of physic. After- 

 wards apply a good blister. 



For the bony deposit, pyro-puncture or 

 thermo-cautery is the best. 



Blistering or firing, or both, and then 

 turning out to grass, are common practices. 



Occult spavin cannot be detected — 

 unless the X-rays can do it. The rays 

 prove an admirable means of detecting 

 bony deposits of the horse, and perhaps 



