72 THE HORSE 



affected, which has a considerable development of 

 the disease, and the shape of the hocks of which 

 are not quite satisfactory, should be avoided by 

 any one who hopes to have a horse capable of 

 doing regular work of an exacting nature. 



The treatment of spavin, when a horse shows 

 by lameness and heat that he is developing the 

 disease, consists in endeavoring to hasten the union 

 of the bony surfaces. Unlike curb, the disease 

 comes on slowly and insidiously, and may be 

 checked by blistering and firing, if taken m time. 

 It must not be expected, however, that a perfect 

 cure, leaving no trace, can ever be effected. In 

 young horses complete rest — which, indeed, is es- 

 sential at all ages — and a blister, may check the 

 evil before serious mischief is done, so that noth- 

 ing but a poor hind action and some ridge-like 

 marks across the front of the joint, which may 

 escape the notice of an unobservant person, will 

 be left to tell the tale of past trouble. 



Hock Lameness 



A horse may sometimes be suspiciously stiff in 



his hind action, may even be lame in the hock, 



and yet have neither heat nor exostosis. Many 



people have been puzzled by cases of this nature, 



