88 THE STUD. 



lasting ailment ; probably, at first, it may cause a 

 little soreness and stiffness, as a blow will on any 

 part of the anatomy. This shortly goes oif, and 

 no imperfection beyond the blemish arises from it. 

 It is particularly objectionable, in point of sale, 

 to a harness horse, as it carries suspicion with it 

 that the injury to the part arose from kicking. 

 In fact, we seldom see an old offender as a kicker 

 without capped hocks ; but, beyond this, there is 

 no reason that such a horse should be rejected at 

 a proper price ; for it is one of those few cases 

 where a purchaser may credit the seller in saying 

 " it is of no earthly consequence." 



"\Ye sometimes see a swelling of the same kind, 

 and arising from the same cause, namely, a blow, 

 on the front of the knee. A blow on this part is 

 certainly likely to create longer injury and stiff- 

 ness than when inflicted on the hock ; for this 

 reason, — there is less springy substance to soften 

 its effect. I might make something like a com- 

 parison of these two parts with our heel and knee- 

 pan. A very severe blow on the knee of the 

 horse would very possibly end in anchylosis, or 

 stiff joint ; if, however, it does not, and the horse 

 becomes sound, it rarely comes against him after- 

 wards, though it will sometimes cause a little 

 temporary stiffness after severe exertion ; still I 

 should not reject a known good horse for such an 

 imperfection. If, with a swollen knee of some 



