706 SOUNDNESS IN HOESES. 



Filled legs from work. — If a horse is aged, I do not think that the 

 fact of his legs being slightly " filled," or a little " worn," should be 

 sufficient to cause him to be rejected on the score of unsoundness ; 

 l^rovided that it did not in any way diminish his usefulness. To fulfil 

 this requirement, the structures of the limb should show no unnatural 

 heat or tenderness ; the integrity of tlie tendons and ligaments should 

 be thoroughly assured ; and any slight fulness which may be present, 

 should have no appearance of having been caused by constitutional 

 disease or weakness. When a young horse shows signs of work, the 

 case is, however, very different All such questions of soundness as 

 those of filled or worn legs can, naturally, be decided only by the 

 examining veterinary surgeon. 



Firing, marks of. — Some owners, as a preservative measure, make 

 a practice of firing the hocks of their young horses, in the event of their 

 considering that these joints show signs of weakness. Arabs and other 

 Eastern nations employ the hot iron in a rather indiscriminate manner 

 as a remedy for various ailments, some of which, such as colic, may be 

 but of a temporary nature. In all cases where we find marks of the 

 firing iron, we should redouble our efforts to disco-ver if there exists 

 in the part anything which might militate against the soundness of the 

 animal ; but if we are unsuccessful in our search, we should not reject 

 the horse because of the existing blemish, which in itself does not 

 come under the definition of unsoundness. 



Galls, harness and saddle. — See remarks by Mr. Baron Parke 

 (p. 695). 



Grunting (p. 391). 



Herpes. — See " Skin Diseases " on next page. 



Hoof, s}iUt. — See " Split Hoof" on next page. 



Hoof weak. — See " Sole, weak " on next page. 



Ischium, fracture of tuberosity of (p. 309). In any case, the 

 defect should be mentioned in the certificate. 



Knees, broken (p. 94). 



Legs, filled or ivorn. — See "Pilled Legs" on this page. 



Mud fever. — See " Skin Diseases" on next page. 



Nettle-rash. — See " Skin Diseases." 



Odd feet.— ^QQ " Contraction of the Foot" (p. 704). 



Parrot mouth would, naturally, be an unsoundness or not, according 

 to its degree. 



Prurigo. — See " Skin Diseases " on next page. 



Rat tails. — See *' Skin Diseases." 



RingwoiYii, non-parasitic. — See *' Skin Diseases." 



Sitfasts (p. 102). — Whenever (which would be almost always) 

 the sitfast occupies such a position as would render it liable to be 



