THE HUNTER AT HOME. 161 



long time. I liave liad^ oddly enough^ but one horse with. 

 a curb, during a somewliat extended hunting career in all 

 sorts of countries ; but then I never buy one with 

 " curby '^ hocks. Every rule has its exception_, and I did 

 buy one once, but he had been fired, and was considered 

 to be repaired. These hocks stood one season^s work, 

 but sprung a fresh curb the following winter — a sufiicient 

 proof of the uselessness of firing curbs. I worked the 

 animal all through his recovery, after the first inflamma- 

 tion had subsided, stimulating the hock with a sort of 

 absorbent blister on the curb place. The hock never 

 went again in two years^ time, when the animal died — 

 I am glad to say not in my stable. Had I another case, 

 I think I should apply Mr. Clark's lotion, the 

 " Neurasthen," &c., of which I have a very high opinion, 

 and indeed the only fault I find with it is its absurd name. 

 It is capital for all injured sinews or tendons. A curb is 

 a misfortune which may happen to any horse any day, 

 especially when they are shod in the usual way, with the 

 frog off the ground. The injury being to the perforans 

 tendon, or its sheath, is I think least likely to happen in a 

 severe degree to a horse who has Charlier shoes behind, 

 and whose frog is consequently engaged in its proper 

 duties of assisting the tendons. I have known a hack 

 spring a curb, and, receiving no rest nor treatment, cure 

 himself j but this was a very slight case. Again, I 

 know a mare who after every hard day presents an 

 appearance in both hocks, which just stops short of being 

 a pair of curbs. She does not go lame; but with a 

 heavier weight, or her days coming quicker together; 

 there would be no mistake about it. A high-heeled oe 

 is often put on to the foot of the curby leg, but I do not 

 think it makes very much difference to the animal. I 



