THE HORSE. 61 



the patella and consequent dislocation of the patella 

 outward, A tumour then occurs, which sometimes 

 suppurates, a favourable symptom. Hard work and 

 inordinate stress on the parts, the usual cause. Lame- 

 ness of the hip joint, round or whirl bone, usually pro- 

 ceeds from blows on the part, slipping, or falling on 

 the side, and may be distinguished by a swinging of 

 the limb, or its appearing longer than natural, and by 

 the horse, in action, having one hip higher than the 

 other. Long neglect renders this malady incurable, 

 or rather, it is never curable but in the first instance. 

 Hipped horses are worked and have even raced. Of 

 the houghs or hocks : The small bones of the hock 

 may be distorted and displaced by a wrench or strain, 

 the tumour appearing in the centre and fore part of 

 the hock. Extreme stiffness and inaptitude to mo- 

 tion succeeds. Sickle or crooked hammed horses, 

 particularly when young and first put to work, are 

 most liable to strains in the parts. There is seldom 

 any other visible symptom than heat in the hocks. 

 If horses in this case are worked gently and carefully 

 whilst young, their joints become consolidated and 

 sound when aged. Jardons or capped hocks: In- 

 durations visible on the points of the hocks, which, 

 when confirmed, will last as long as the hocks them- 

 selves, more especially when upon a kicker, the usual 

 creator of these blemishes, who, in course, will renew 

 them if removed. If the result of accident or blows, 

 and attended to in time, they are removable like other 

 similar affections. The string halt or sudden catch- 

 ing up one or both hinder legs, admits of no remedy, 

 but comfortable palliatives. String-halted horses have 



