34 EXAMINATION OF HORSES AS TO SOUNDNESS 



ment, which is thus apt to break down alto- 

 gether. Firing is resorted to, with the idea of 

 bracing or tightening up and strengthening 

 the part, this treatment being, as a rule, very 

 effective. 



From the back, the hand is now brought to 

 the inside of the hock, the seat of spavins. 



Spavins. — There are three kinds of spavins, 

 viz., (l) the bone-spavin, (2) the bog-spavin; 

 and (3) the blood-spavin. 



Bone-spavin. — The first, or bone-spavin, is 

 the most common and important of the three, 

 and is an exostosis, or bony tumour, at the 

 lower and inner part of the hock. 



Bone-spavin is a common cause of lameness 

 amongst horses, and one of the worst kind, 

 therefore the examination of the hock should be 

 carefully made in search of it. In its early 

 stages it at times takes all the skill of the pro- 

 fessional to detect its presence ; but when it is 

 fairly developed, and the parts carefully examined, 

 not only by the hand, but by comparing both 

 hocks one with the other as the animal stands 

 quietly and with both hind -legs together, not 



