THE HORSE 65 



buying for some classes of work. The first point 

 of importance is to ascertain whether the hocks 

 are naturally of good shape. If they are, it is 

 fau'ly safe to assume that the unsoundness must 

 have been caused either when the horse was very 

 young, or else by some unusual and extraordinary 

 strain. 



Curbs are sprung in a moment, just as the ankle 

 in the human being may be sprained during a 

 game, or even when walking. Hunters constantly 

 injure themselves suddenly when jumping ; but if 

 their hocks are well shaped, and they are over the 

 period of active trouble, there is no reason why 

 they should not perform harness work soundly for 

 the rest of their natural lives, although it might 

 be wise not to hunt them again. For example a 

 cob, as a three-year-old, threw out a curb on the 

 near hind leg, owing to being ridden by a man too 

 heavy for it at that early age. Once the active 

 mischief ceased, the working ability of that pony 

 was in no way impaired, and it was still going 

 soundly and well in its daily work many years 

 later. If the history of a curb can be ascertained, 

 and its origin can be proved to date back to a time 

 when the horse was either immature or was being 

 hunted, then it would be fairly safe to buy the 



