g 8 The Compleat Horseman : or, 



Labour makes them increafe, but in thofe which 

 are paft feven or eight Years, when the Spavin is 

 not very large, and provided they. do not mean or 

 halt with it, and have alfo a good Body and full 

 Flank \ in thefe, I fay, it is not fo much to be 

 feared as in young *, however in either it at laft 

 fpoils and ruins the Horfe. 



I come now to fpeak of the Infirmities of the 

 Hind-Legs, from the Hamme downwards. 

 Rats-Tails. 



There come upon the Back-finews Rats-Tails •, 

 they are known by the part being without Hair, 

 from two or three Fingersbreadth below the Hamme 

 to the very Pattern- joynt, and are fometimes dry, 

 and fometimes moift, but always accompanied with 

 Crutts and hard Callofities, more elevate than the 

 reft of the Leg. When they are moid: they fend 

 forth a fharp Humour. There are fome Horfes 

 which have them only in their Fore-legs, but this 

 is very rare. 



Coach-Horfes of a large fize, which have their 

 Legs charged with Flefh, Hair, and full of bad Hu- 

 mours, are moft fubjedt to this and the following 

 Infirmities, which feldom happen to Horfes of a 

 middle fize. 



There are a kind of Warts or Leek-heads, which 

 come about the Patterns and Pattern- joints. They 

 are higher than the Skin about half the thicknefs of 

 one's Finger, throw out filthy Sinking Stuff; fpoil 

 the Leg, and are very troublefome to cure. Thofe 

 which come in. the Patterns are hid beneath the long 

 Hair of the Fetlocks, and are fome of them fo very 

 malign, that they make the Hair fall all around 

 them, and they themfelves grow up like Walnuts, 

 There are others again more flat, and not fo much 

 raifed above the Skin, but are more dangerous than 

 thofe which are biggeft and moft elevate *, they are 

 eafily dilcovered, being a great many mattering kind 



of 



