BOG SPA VTN 153 



hock. It seldom causes lameness, but is a very serious 

 blemish. It is generally caused by a blow ; most 

 frequently it is caused by a horse kicking in the stall 

 or in harness. In the former case it is a somewhat 

 difficult matter to cure a horse of the habit. Perhaps 

 the best remedy is to put an animal which is addicted 

 to kicking in a stall into a loose-box, in which there is 

 nothing for him to kick at which can damage his hocks. 

 Sweating-bandages will help to reduce it, unless the 

 hock is very much enlarged, and hand-rubbing will 

 also be found efficacious. 



Although the coatings of the veins of a horse are, 

 compared with those of the arteries, somewhat thin, the 

 veins are, nevertheless, not subject to become varicose. 

 A horse's legs may display the results of hard work in 

 a variety of ways, but, with one exception, the veins 

 themselves will be unaltered in structure. There is 

 attached to the extremity of nearly every tendon a 

 small bag containing a mucous substance, which 

 enables the tendons to work without causing friction 

 on the surrounding parts. Violent exercise causes 

 these little bags or sacs to become enlarged, as, for 

 instance, in the case of windfalls, thoroughpins, etc. 

 One such receptacle is situated on the inside of the 

 hock, at its bend. This at times is liable to become 

 very much enlarged by strain, over-work, etc., and 

 forms what is called a ' bog ' spavin. Passing over 

 this bag or sac there is a vein. The enlargement of 

 the mucous sac pressing upon this vein impedes the 

 flow of the blood through it. The vein naturally 

 becomes distended, and what is termed a ' blood ' 

 spavin is thus formed. It will be thus seen that the 

 latter is a consequence of the former. If, therefore. 



