Spavin 229 
that a ring-boned or spavined mare “will do to raise 
colts from,” but she is very likely to transmit a similar 
tendency to her colts. Horses suffering from ring-bones 
or spavins should not be bred, unless these diseases were 
evidently of accidental origin or the animal is particu- 
larly valuable for breeding purposes. 
One of the exciting causes of spavins is hard or fast 
work, especially in young horses. Most cases of spavin 
occur in horses under eight years of age. Spavins may be 
caused by strains, blows and injuries to the joint, espe- 
cially the concussion or jar that comes from fast driving 
on hard roads. Another cause is allowing the hoof to 
wear unevenly, so that too great a strain is brought. 
on the hock-joint, especially on the inside. The feet 
of colts should be examined frequently before they are 
shod, and any inequalities removed, so that the foot 
shall be kept. level. 
There is a lameness that is very characteristic of 
spavin, but it is difficult to describe. The horse has 
a peculiar, “spavined” gait,—a slight hitch in the 
affected leg and a sudden dropping on the well one as 
he travels. The lameness is most pronounced when the 
horse first starts out. After going some distance, the 
lameness may largely disappear, and the horse is said 
to “warm out” of it. In traveling, the horse steps 
on the toe of the affected foot, usually wearing away 
the toe of the hoof or shoe very rapidly. If a spav- 
ined horse is driven rapidly until thoroughly warm, 
when cooled he is unusually stiff and lame in the 
spavined leg. If the hock-joint of the affected leg is 
flexed to its utmost, by carrying the foot forward and 
