228 The Care of Animals 



that a ring-boned or spavined mare "will do to raise 

 colts from," but she is very likely to transmit a similar 

 tendency to her colts. Horses suffering from ring-bones 

 or spavins should not be bred, unless these diseases were 

 evidently of accidental origin or the animal is p'articu- 

 larly valuable for breeding purposes. 



One of the exciting causes of spavins is hard or fast 

 work, especially in j^oung horses. Most cases of spavin 

 occur in horses under eight years of age. Spavins may be 

 caused by strains, blows and injuries to the joint, espe- 

 cially the concussion or jar that comes from fast driving 

 on hard roads. Another cause is allowing the hoof to 

 wear unevenh-, so that too great a strain is brought 

 on the hock-joint, especially on the inside. The feet 

 of colts should be examined frequently before they are 

 shod, and any inequalities removed, so that the foot 

 shall be kept level. 



There is a lameness that is verj^ characteristic of 

 spavin, but it is difficult to describe. The horse has 

 a peculiar, "spavined" gait, — a slight hitch in the 

 affected leg and a sudden dropping on the well one as 

 he travels. The lameness is most pronounced when the 

 horse first starts out. After going some distance, the 

 lameness may largely disappear, and the horse is said 

 to "warm out" of it. In traveling, the horse steps 

 on the toe of the affected foot, usually wearing away 

 the toe of the hoof or shoe very rapidly. If a spav- 

 ined horse is driven rapidly until thoroughly w^arm, 

 when cooled he is unusually stiff and lame in the 

 spavined leg. If the hock -joint of tlie affected leg is 

 flexed to its utmost, by carrying the *oot forward and 



