464 
SOUNDNESS IN HORSES. 
cracked hoof no one could reasonably argue was adequate to the 
same performances of exertion as a sound one. 
A splent, unless lameness, or altered action, or cutting accrued 
from it (which we know to be not often the case), is not of itself 
an unsoundness; but a spavin I look upon always to be so, be¬ 
cause, although lameness may not be present, experience'has 
taught us that the limb is not equal to the same feats of strength 
and exertion as a sound one. By parity of reasoning, I take a 
curb to be an unsoundness. 
This deduction is founded upon the logical maxim, 
“ Ab actu ad posse valet consecutio;” 
and, although I am aware that cases may be adduced presenting 
very dubious complexions, still, I cannot refrain from thinking 
that, as a general rule, applied with professional judgment, it 
may be made a very serviceable one. 
Stringhalt renders a horse unsound, in consequence of its ren¬ 
dering the action of the limb less effective. 
But windgalls , unless they be in a state of actual disease, or 
from their magnitude or dropsical connexion with some joint, can 
be shown to interfere with action, do not render a horse unsound : 
this includes thorough-pins and hog spavins. 
A vast deal of disputation and wrangling has been lavished on 
the subject of frush: some stoutly contending that it did consti¬ 
tute unsoundness; others, as obstinately, that it did not; while 
a third set of these jurisconsults, connected it with soundness or 
unsoundness, dependent upon its being attended or not with 
lameness ; so that one hour the horse might receive a certificate 
of soundness, while on the next (having perhaps been ridden, or 
had his frog dressed, in the interval) he would obtain one of un¬ 
soundness. That I may not needlessly take up time on a point 
of such insignificance, should I be asked to resolve it, I shall 
want to know of my querist, whether he considers a frush to be 
a disease ; if he does, the question is answered ; if he does not, 
I see no other way of resolving it than that of submitting it to the 
test of impairment of function or capacity . However, after all, 
it is an affair which one would think naught but fraud could ever 
raise into importance. 
In respect to what are denominated 
The Habits and Vices of Horses, 
In a general way, they are said (and perhaps with reason) not to 
amount to unsoundness. Here the law bears us out pretty well: 
it informs us—“ where the defect is merely an inconvenient or dis¬ 
agreeable trick or habit, and not proceeding from any organic dis- 
