64 
ON SPAVINS AND SPLENTS. 
my brother and myself, with hounds. lie had two large bone- 
spavins, but was never lame. He was a bad fencer, which the 
wiseacres attributed to his spavins. 
Second, A Jupiter horse, which I sold to Mr. Letchmere 
Charlton for 200 guineas. He had two large spavins, but was 
never lame. 
Third, A hack, fell dead lame all at once. A spavin, the size 
of a hazel-nut, had been thrown out, which was removed by one 
strong blister. It was just on the joint. 
Fourth, A grey horse, sold to Sir Edmund Antrobus, at Tat- 
tersall’s, for 150 guineas. On leaving the yard, Mr. Tattersall 
saw him, and said to me, <l You have warranted this horse, and 
he has two spavins.” I replied, he had ; but that I had ridden 
him two seasons and a half, and he had never been lame. Nei- 
ther was he ever lame from that cause ; and Sir Edmund had his 
picture taken. 
Fifth, A horse called Turnpike, sold by me to the late Mr. 
Mytton for 150 guineas, had a spavin on the near hinder leg, but 
was never lame. I have a letter now in my possession from Mr. 
Mytton, confirming this fact. I purchased this horse for 80 
guineas, from a Mr. Drake, near Worcester, contrary to the ad- 
vice of Mr. Palfrey, who fired him for the largest ring-bone on 
his near fore leg that I ever saw on any horse ; but it never hurt 
him. He was called Turnpike from having leaped the toll-gate 
on the London road out of Worcester. 
Sixth, Four years ago I bought a five-years old horse, at 
Calais, from Mr. Berkley Bond, who was shot in a duel at 
Boulogne, a few days afterwards. He had a spavin on the near 
leg, but his action with his hinder legs was remarkably strong 
and good. I sold him to a French Colonel of Dragoons, and 
heard of him two years since, being still in his possession, and 
sound. 
So much for my experience of spavins. From splents I have 
suffered very little. I never remember but one horse out of work 
from that cause. A gray horse lost his action all at once, and I 
feared he was injured in the feet, although, to appearance, they 
were perfect. At length, the late Mr. Samuel Palfrey, of Wor- 
cester, detected two very small splents, directly under the knees, 
which were at once removed, and I sold him for 220 guineas. 
This horse will be recollected by Warwickshire sportsmen ; he 
belonged originally to Mr. Beilby Thompson, brother to Sir 
Francis Lawley, and was one of the neatest and best horses in 
the hunt. 
It is my opinion — but I offer it with deference — that bony ex- 
crecences, such as spavins and splents, cannot be termed dis- 
