14 THE CANADIAN HOESE 



bones, extending sometimes even to the true hock-joint 

 itself. Other causes give risd to spavin as often, if not more 

 often, than this, as sprain of the ligaments of the joint from 

 slipping or twisting the joint in leaping, or by a false step on 

 the road. It may result from a partial fracture of the head 

 of the cannon, or from severe stress before the bones are 

 perfectly ossified, whereby they become crushed, and in- 

 flammation is set up. ^ Certain conformations, particularly that 

 known as " curby hock," are more liable to spavin. Heredi- 

 tary constitution most certainly predisposes to it, as to all 

 other bone diseases, and spavined animals are therefore not 

 advisable to breed from. 



This bone-spavin, with simply exostosis, is not always a 

 very serious detriment to the animal ; particularly, if on a 

 well-formed hock, and placed well back, it seldom does much 

 harm ; but when occurring on a narrow, ill-shaped joint, and 

 toward the front, it will greatly interfere with the integrity 

 of the joint. However, spavin, no matter where it occurs, 

 is always to be viewed with suspicion, and the animal must 

 be kept off the hard road ; but on the farm he may be 

 nearly as useful as ever, if not very lame. 



It is of great importance to be able to detect spavin ; and it 

 can only be done (except in very prominent cases) by know- 

 ing the natural appearance of the joint. In a sound hock, if 

 you stand about three feet from the shoulder and look back, 

 you will observe a uniformity of the line from the upper 

 prominence to the head of the cannon : any unnatural pro- 

 minence can at once be seen, which should be felt with 

 the hand ; and if a hard tu mour is felt, it is bone-spavin. 

 Gare must be taken, however, not to mistake a natural ful- 

 ness, known as " rough hocks ; " and it is always advisable 

 to compare the one hock with the other. We must not be 

 understood to mean that the enlargement is observable in 



