96 SPAVIN. 



SPAVIN. 



A SPAVINED horse may be considered as one com- 

 pletely ruined, for a permanent cure can rarely be 

 effected, if attempted, even on its first appearance. 



The spavin is a lump, knot, or swelling, on the inside 

 of the hock, below the joint, that benumbs the limbs, 

 and destroys the free use of the hind legs. It causes 

 a horse to be extremely lame, and to experience, 

 apparently, very excruciating pain. 



In the purchase of a horse, great respect should be 

 paid to his bringing up his hind parts well, as a spavined 

 horse never makes a full step with the leg affected ; 

 also to the shape of his hocks, in order to discover 

 if there is any knot or unnatural prominence about 

 the joint, which is an evidence of the spavin. When 

 a horse is thus diseased, he is unfit for any kind of 

 service, even the meanest drudgery, being in constant 

 pain, and unable to perform. Horses sometimes have 

 the spavin, when there is no lump apparent near the 

 joint, the disease being seated in the joint. To detect 

 such spavin, and to prevent a cunning fellow (who may 

 have given the animal rest, blistered and bathed the part 

 with double distilled spirits, and formed a temporary 

 relief,) from imposing on a purchaser, have the horse 

 rode in three quarters speed, about one mile out and 

 back, occasionally fretting, cracking, and drawing him 

 up suddenly and short ; after which let him be rode 

 in cold water up to the belly ; then p^ace him in a stall 

 without interruption, for about half an hour, by which 

 time he will be perfectly cool ; then have him led out, 

 and moved gently; if he has received a temporary 



