274 THE HORSE. 



an ointment, composed of one part of snc^ar of lead, two of tar, and six of 

 lard, rubbed over the part. Should this fail, the weak mercurial ointment 

 should be used. 



COW-HOCKS. 



The line of direction of the legs beneath the hocks should not be dis- 

 regarded. The leg should descend perpendicularly to the fetlock. The 

 weight and stress will thus be equally diffused, not only over the whole of 

 the hock, but also the pasterns and the foot. Some horses, however, have 

 their hocks closer than natural to each other, and the legs take a divergent 

 direction outward, and the toes likewise are turned outward. These 

 horses are said to be cat or cow-hocked. They are generally supposed to 

 possess considerable speed, and we believe (hat they do ; and we thus 

 account for it. The cow-hocked horse has his legs not only turned more 

 outward, but bent more under him, and this increases the distance between 

 the point of the hock and the tendons of the perforating muscle : see 6, cut 

 page 262. It increases the space which is usually occupied by thoroughpin, 

 a, in the same page. Then the point of the hock, moved by the action of 

 the muscles, is enabled to describe a greater portion of a circle ; and in pro- 

 portion to the increased space passed over by the point of the hock, will 

 the space passed over by the limb beneath be increased, and so the stride 

 of the horse may be lengthened, and thus far his speed may be increased. 

 But this advantage is more than counterbalanced by many evils. This 

 increased contraction of the muscles is an expenditure of animal power, 

 and, as we have already stated, the weight and the concussion being so 

 imequally distributed by this formation of the limbs, some part must be 

 overstrained and overworked, and injury must ensue. On this account it 

 is, that the cow-hocked horse is more subject than others to thoroughpin 

 and spavin ; and is so disposed to curbs, that these hocks are denominated 

 by horsemen curhy hocks. The mischief extends even farther than this. 

 Such a horse is pecuharly liable to windgall, sprain of the fetlock, cutting, 

 and knuckling. 



A slight inclination to this form in a strong powerful horse may not be 

 very objectionable, but a horse decidedly cow-hocked should never be 

 selected. 



STRING-HALT 



Before we quit the hock, we must notice a peculiar involuntary twitching 

 of the hind leg, or convulsive action of the muscles by which it is 

 bent, and which is termed string-halt. This is evidently an affection of 

 some of the nerves which communicate motion to these muscles. It is an 

 irregular action of nervous energy ; but what particular fibril is affected, 

 or what muscle is chiefly spasmed, has never been ascertained. It is 

 principally observed when the horse first comes from the stable, and 

 gradually ceases after he has been exercised a while. It is unpleasant 

 to the rider, but it cannot be denominated unsoundness ; on the contrary, 

 common opinion has gi\en to the horse with string-halt a more than usual 

 share of strength and endurance ; and if it be an excess of nervous energy, 

 although irregularly exerted, we shall find no difficulty in associating it 

 with general powerful muscular action. However this may be, the precise 

 nature of the defect has never been determined, nor has any cure for it 

 been discovered. 



