THE HORSE 71 



back freely, in conjunction with other suspicious 

 indications, is probably suffering from hock 

 trouble. 



As in the case of curb, a horse is usually only 

 lame from spavin when the inflammation is active, 

 and the bony enlargement actually in process of 

 formation. Unlike curb, however, the hind action 

 can never be quite the same again, however slight 

 the disease, because of the hindrance to the per- 

 fect freedom of movement which inevitably takes 

 place. As already stated, the lower down the 

 disease, the less is the horse's action affected ; thus 

 a lot of work might be got out of a horse with 

 slight spavin if the inflammation is no longer act- 

 ive. It must always be remembered that spavin 

 is perhaps a natural evolutionary tendency toward 

 a union of the bones of the hock, and that a hock 

 which is weakly formed will almost inevitably be- 

 come more badly diseased if the animal has to 

 carry heavy weights, pull heavy loads up hills, or 

 perform work which will create compression or 

 severe strain on this part. Therefore only a horse 

 which moves well and soundly, and has well- 

 shaped hocks, should be considered — at a price — if 

 it has a moribund spavin low down and to one 

 side of the leg. An animal in which the action is 



