The Skeleton. 19 



to its posterior surface a ligament which, when sprained 

 and enlarged, constitutes a curb, a condition resulting 

 from the conformation, (curby or sickle hocks), or 

 the work performed (in stud males). One of the 

 hock bones, the cuboid, situated on the outer side of 

 the hock, just below the calcis, may be rough, and 

 in such cases may cause the animal to be credited 

 with a spavin or curb, in all such cases the hocks 

 should be carefully compared and coarseness of the bone 

 not mistaken for diseased conditions. The joints of the 

 hinge variety between the lower rows of hock bones are 

 not as important, as the motion allowed is not nearly so 

 extensive as in the true hock joint. Below the hock, 

 the bones are arranged in a similar manner to those in 

 the fore limb. Abnormal bony enlargements are some- 

 times present on the pastern, and are then known as 

 ringbones; splints are rarely present on the hind cannons. 



