DISEASES, DEFECTS, ETC. 69 



splint in the form of a tumour appears in the inside of the 

 hind-leg, in front of the union of the head of the splint- 

 bone with the shank, and is called a bone-spamn. It almost 

 invariably produces lameness, and the enlargement rapidly 

 spreads with quick and hard work (e), so as to interfere 

 with the flexion of the hock. 



Bone-spavin, whether it produce lameness apparent at the Held to be an 

 time of sale or not, is an unsoundness; and the following unsoundness, 

 veterinary evidence was given in a case which was tried. 



Mr. Nice, a veterinary surgeon, stated for the plaintiflf, 

 that eleven days after sale he had seen the horse, which 

 then had a confirmed bone-spavin, and that in his opinion it 

 was not a curable disease. Mr. Sewell, of the Veterinary 

 College, had examined him about a month after sale, and 

 said that at that time he had a confirmed bone-spavin, 

 which could not have occurred subsequent to the time of sale. 



For the defendant, Mr. Child, a veterinary surgeon, was 

 called, who said that there was a bony deposit in the 

 interior of the hock, but that it did not interfere with its 

 flexion. It was what is called a bone-spavin, though the 

 term was very indefinite ; that the deposit generally, but 

 not invariably, increases (/) ; and in the incipient stages it 

 requires skill, and is often difficult to determine ; that there 

 might be a deposit to a considerable extent without produc- 

 ing lameness ; that he had known horses rejected for bone- 

 spavin as unsound, which had not become lame, and had 

 one himself which was rejected three years ago, and had 

 not become so. Another witness, a farrier, said, " I do not 

 think bone-spavin is an unsoundness myself, without lame- 

 ness ; but bone-spavin is in our profession a known unsound- 

 ness, whether it produce lameness or not." The plaintifl' 

 obtained a verdict {g). 



Many old horses, which have been put to hard service, Bioken- 

 especially before they have gained their full strength, have backed, 

 some of the bones of the back or loins anchylosed, being 

 united together by bony matter, instead of ligament. 

 When this exists to any considerable extent, the horse is 

 not pleasant to ride ; he turns with difficulty in his sta,ll ; 

 he is unwilling to lie down ; or when down, to rise again ; 

 and he has a curious straddling action. Such horses are 

 said to be broken-backed, or chinked in the chine (h). Where 



(e) Lib. U. K. "The Horse," 86. 



270,365. (A) Lib. V. K. "The Horse," 



(/) Reported decreases. 165. 

 (^) Watson T. Denton, 7 C. & P. 



