DURATION OF LEGS SOUxND AND UNSOUND. 115 



of Cracovienne is a remarkable one to the point. To all 

 appearances she was the soundest mare in the world ; but 

 she broke down standing in a loose box, and from the severe 

 effects of this breakdown she never recovered, and after 

 baffling all veterinary skill had to be put to the stud. On the 

 other hand, Wapiti, Vauban, and Virago were so bad on their 

 legs that their most sanguine admirers scarcely hoped to see 

 them many times at the post, if at all. As it turned out, Wapiti 

 was the best mare of her year, and was never beaten. It is 

 true she never ran except as a two-year-old ; but the other 

 two I have named won many and large races as three-year- 

 olds over very trying courses, astonishing every one, and not 

 least their trainers. As Mr. Copperthwaite justly remarks : 

 " Some legs last longer than others, and in many instances 

 doubtful-looking ones prove the best." 



All that has been said in relation to the leg applies with equal 

 force to the hock. The worst-looking hocks, with spavins and 

 curbs, often stand the test of work, whilst the perfectly-shaped 

 ones Avill give way with httle or no warning, and never get 

 right again, treat them as you will. No one would like to 

 buy horses with malformed hocks and legs except at a greatly 

 reduced price. But when they can be had cheap I should 

 not mind buying them, if I did not think the defects too bad, 

 and liked their appearance in other respects. The Deformed 

 had her four feet twisted in so much that her toes nearly 

 touched each other as she stood ; and her knees were so far 

 apart that one might have wheeled a wheelbarrow between 

 them without touching one or the other. Yet shaped like 

 this she could not only run, but well, and won many races. 

 Like Wapiti and Virago, she was a beautiful and very fine 

 mare down to her knees, but dreadfully bad below. 



In hocks I should not much object to a spavin or a curb ; 



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