SOUND AND UNSOUND HORSES 



sound animal. The author is indined 

 to look upon capped hock as more of the 

 nature of a " blemish " than that of 

 unsoundness, unless there be heat, pain, 

 or lameness present. When confined 

 to the skin or connective tissue sub- 

 jacent to it, there is no likelihood of the 

 last named, but if the bursa, or point 

 of OS calcis be injured, the circumstances 

 are entirely different. 



The examiner must judge for himself 

 as to the existence of these conditions. 



Spavin. — ^That the existence of bone- 

 spavin upon any horse constitutes un- 

 soundness, there cannot be much doubt. 



It is to give " proof " of the existence 

 of spavin upon a given animal that 

 causes so much trouble. It is common 

 amongst all classes of horses, from the 

 Clydesdale down to the tiny Sheltie. Its 

 presence, in a horse required for fast 

 work, is of much greater significance 

 than one performing slow labour, and 



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