278 



THE EXTERIOR OE THE HORSE. 



be defined as a periostitis of the calcaneo-metatarsal ligament, b (Fig. 90), and 

 the external tibio-tarsal, a (Fig. 91), and spavin as that of the astragalo-meta- 

 tarsal, b (Fig. 91), and the internal tibio-tarsal, a (Fig. 90), ligaments. 



Fig. 90.— Dissected hock viewed inwardly 

 and posteriorly. 



Fig. 91.— Dissected hock viewed inwardly 

 and in front. 



Whatever may be its situation, it occasions a very characteristic deformity 

 of the profile of the base of the hock. The line which passes from the summit 

 of the calcaneus to the fetlock, instead of being perfectly straight, describes, on 

 the contrary, a curve with the convexity posterior, at the level of the head of 

 the splint bone and most frequently a little below. The enlargement is also per- 

 ceived upon the hock viewed from behind or obliquely. When the jarde assumes 

 the form of a splint, it sometimes elevates the suspensory ligament of the fetlock 

 by developing in the posterior gutter, which serves as a cavity of reception for 

 the latter. In this case it is the line of the tendon which loses its rectitude and 

 becomes more or less convex behind. 



Before leaving this subject, we should warn our readers against a tendency 

 which is quite general among horsemen, particularly in the army : it is the 

 mania of jardes, if we may use such an~ expression. Many jardes exist often 

 only in the imagination of those who speak of it, and who, to a certain degree, 

 cannot inspect a horse without seeing this lesion. The head of the external 

 metatarsal bone, in our opinion, has not always the same configuration ; it is 

 sometimes very angular, and may, in this case, alter externally the posterior 

 profile of the tarsus, — above all, if the hock is cow-hocked, — without justiiying 

 thereby a conclusion of the existence of a blemish, because the structures still 

 are and will remain perfectly normal. 



