74 THE HORSE : ITS TAMING, 



this is often the seat of disease. Notice the action of 

 this joint, when free from disease, in walking or 

 trotting, should appear the same. Now the examiner 

 comes to the most important joint, and the one 

 that is most likely to be wrong. It is often said 

 by the most experienced that the " foot before 

 and the hock behind " are more liable to injury 

 and disease than any other portion of the body, and 

 certainly the hock is the most difficult joint to 

 examine for unsoundness. 



TJiorougJipin. — These are round swellings on inside 

 and outside, and immediately under the strong tendon 

 which unites with the cap of the hock, being similar 

 in appearance to zvhidgalls, which appear generally 

 more frequently on the fore legs just at the fetlock 

 joints, and cannot be reckoned an unsoundness. I 

 have frequently heard it said " that a windgalled leg 

 never goes lame," but I wont go quite so far as this. 

 They indicate, however, that the horse has done hard 

 work, but unless they have attained a very large size 

 (being then an unsightly blemish), I should not notice 

 them in the question of soundness, only in the 

 question of price. 



A Capped Hock is known by the very point of the 

 hock being swollen. It seldom causes lameness, but 

 it is an ugly defect. Sometimes it is produced by 

 kicking in harness, and when caused in that way, I 

 call it " The Brand of Cain." I have known draught 



