38 THE HORSE. 



management, over-work, strains, or blows. Ignorant 

 breakers are the principal originators of curbs. Kicking 

 in harness, or against the stalls, or any hard substance, 

 will produce them on the best-formed hocks. When they 

 have assumed a decided form, and have become hard 

 bony substances, and all inflammation has left, if the 

 horse goes sound, do not reject him, should he suit in all 

 other respects. 



"Whether a curbed horse is sound or unsound is a mat- 

 ter of dispute. There are partisans on both sides, but I 

 think the majority agree with me in opinion that, where 

 he is capable of doing all the work required of horses of 

 his class, as well with the curbs as without them, he is 



SOUND. 



If the curbs are large enough to be distinctly seen, or 

 are disfigured by treatment or otherwise, they are 



BLEMISHES. 



To save trouble and expense, the best way, where there 

 is the slightest enlargement, or the least doubtful qual- 

 ity, is to make an exception in the warranty. (See copy 

 of receipt, with warranty, on a subsequent page.) Where 

 the hocks are naturally ill-formed and weak, the horse 

 is UNSOUND. 



While forming, the horse being lame, it is almost use- 

 less to mention that he is indisputably UNSOUND. 



It is now to be hoped that from all I have said you will 

 see that it is your fault if, from this cause, you lose a 

 good horse from fastidious fear, or take a useless one 

 screened by customary subterfuge. 



SPAVINS. 



Spavins are enlargements on the inside, and rather to- 

 ward the front of the hock; they are produced in the 

 same manner as curbs. 



