216 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



cleft. If possible the frog should be allowed to come into 

 contact with the ground, and the shoer ought to be prohibited 

 from paring it. 



Bone Spavin. 



This is a bony enlargement at the inside and lower part of 

 the hock. In some cases there is little if any enlargement, 

 but two or more of the bones of the hock may be fixed together, 

 or there may be ulceration between them. There is more or 

 less stiffness or lameness in the joint, according to the extent 

 and seat of the disease. The horse rests the leg very much, 

 and goes somewhat on the toe of the foot. When he first 

 begins to move the lameness is more marked than it is after 

 he has travelled for some time. X ne lameness is sometimes 

 very perceptible when the horse is moved in the stall. Spavin 

 is most frequently seen in defectively shaped hocks, though it 

 may occur from severe strain on well-shaped hocks, or working 

 horses very hard when too young. 



Treatment. To be beneficial, treatment must be undertaken 

 early. Absolute rest is indicated, and if the horse could be 

 rendered immovable in the affected joint there would be a 

 good chance of stopping the progress of spavin. But this is 

 not possible, and all that can be done is to keep the horse quiet, 

 a stall being preferable to a loose-box, and the animal can be 

 tied up for some time. To ease the front of the joint, a high- 

 heeled shoe may be placed on the foot, and either warm or 

 cold fomentations applied to the hock for some days. Then 

 biniodide of mercury ointment should be rubbed into the skin 

 over the spavin, at intervals of a week or so. This treatment 

 ought to be continued for six weeks or two months, when the 

 result should be tested. If the lameness has not disappeared, 

 then a seton should be passed over the seat of spavin, or firing 

 may be resorted to, points being employed instead of lines. 



