HEEEDITAEY UNSOUNDNESS. 719 



Amaurosis (p. 346). 



Bent fore-legs. — Under this term is included the condition shown 

 by some horses, of " standing over " at the knees, which is in 

 many cases due to hereditary predisposition. The majority of 

 breeders are rightly averse from using for stud purposes, animals 

 which show this peculiarity. At the same time, it is quite certain 

 that work or injury {e.g. falls) may induce it, and it may also be 

 caused by neglect in the management of' the feet. However 

 brought on, it ought to be looked upon as a grave defect, in the 

 present connection. 



Bog-spavin (p. 323). — If the hocks are well formed, this affection 

 (as well as thoroughpin), when it exists to but a slight degree, may 

 be overlooked. Its presence, however, in aged animals, unless 

 caused by some accidental sprain, is as a rule, indicative of faulty 

 conformation of the part. Especially among heavy cart-horses, 

 the influence of hereditary predisposition is strongly marked in 

 the case of bog-spavins and thoroughpins, the possession of either 

 of which affections, if well developed, should be sufficient cause 

 for the immediate rejection of an animal for breeding. Heavy 

 entires, even with the best of hocks, are often apt to get them 

 puffy, on account of straining them when covering. 



Bone-spavin (p. 251). 



Broken wind (p. 375). 



Cataract (p. 341). 



Contraction of the foot (p. 715). — ^The fact of one foot being 

 smaller than its fellow, especially in the fore limb, and if the 

 difference of size be well marked, would be sufficient cause for 

 immediate rejection of an animal for stud purposes. It goes with- 

 out saying, that any congenital deformity of the foot should be 

 regarded in the same light. 



Curb (p. 52). — The possession of a curb would always be of 

 serious detriment to the value of a stud animal, and especially for 

 breeding hunters, steeple-chasers, and chargers. It might, how- 

 ever, be overlooked in a race-horse of exceptional speed and 

 stamina, like, for instance, St. Simon, who was faulty in this 

 respect; considering the early stage at which race-horses are put 

 to work, we ought to be more lenient with them than with animals 

 that are given more time to mature. Besides this, they are not 

 put so much on their haunches, as are cross-country horses and 

 troopers. 



Lamdnitis (p. 183). — As far as my experience goes, the fact that 

 a sire or dam having suffered from laminitis, even with grave 

 changes in the feet, would not injuriously affect the shape of the 

 feet of the offspring, and would not predispose the offspring to 

 laminitis. At the same time remember, that a horse or mare 



