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DISEASES AFFECTING LEGS OF HORSES. Extent to Which Ringbones, Spavin Splints and Curbs Lower Their Market Value. Whenever I look over a horse that I think I should like to buy the first thing I look at are bis legs and feet, for I believe that the limbs are the most important part of a horse, writes T. J. Deloh-ery, in the Country Gentleman. The old saying has it: "No feet, no horse." I believe this should be broadened to include, the legs, for good legs are as essential as good feet. Many defects of the feet and logs are considered unsoundnesses and they detract not only from the appearance and usefulness of the animal, but from his value as well. Soundness is a vital factor in determining the value of a horse. In breeding, it is . extremely important. Though the defects may not be handed down by the dam or sire, there is a possibility that the weaknesses which preceded the unsoundness may be inherited. Recently I ascertained just how much the money discount would be on a horse that was affected with either ringbones, spavins, sidebones, splints or curbs. I obtained the following opinion from Ellsworth and McNair, one of the biggest horse commission firms at Chicago: "A great deal depends upon the class of the horse. If it is a 50 to 00 draft horse, and has a big bone spavin, ringbones or sidebones, it would make a difference of seventy-five dollars or more. On medium-priced horses, sidebones, curbs or bone spavins that do not lame the horse, probably would not make a difference of more than fifteen to twenty dollars. In the case of a first-class big hor.?e. it makes a wonderful difference whether he is absolutely sound or has any of those defects." Blemishes Greatly Reduce Values. On pure-bred horses it is hut natural that the discount is larger. But it is hardly nrobablc that any of the breeders of pure-breds would nurchase a horse I : thus afflicted. "It is a difficult tiling for us to give you the amount of depreciation caused by the different blemishes on horses," said J. G. Truman, of the I Truman Pioneer Stud Farm. "Any of the blemishes 1 you mention would. In our opinion, reduce the value seventy-five per cent. In other words, a stallion for which we might get ,000 if sound, we should sell for 50 if lie had spavins, ringbones, or any of the other defects. I do not think you would be far wrong if you figured that these blemishes reduced the value of a pure-bred horse from fifty to seventy-five per cent. One tiling is certain, we would not nay that price for a stallion with the blemishes." Pnsound legs and feet may be due to many causes, principal among them being heredity, extreme labor, bruises, cuts or injuries, ill-fitting harness, diseases and lack of proper can;. In the majority of cases, however, it will undoubtedly be found that the chief causes are heredity that is, predisposition to the affliction, because one or both-of the parents were defective and the fact that the animal was compelled to perform work beyond his strength. Not all defects are considered unsoundnesses. Some are classed as blemishes. A blemish may detract from the appearance of the horse, but will not impair his usefulness. Probably the most prevalent of unsoundnesses are bog spavin, bone spavin, ringbone, cocked ankle, splints, thorouglipin and curb. To the trained eye these unsoundnesses are quite: visible; the unskilled person may have some troubled to prove a suspicion if he has a suspicion. A short discussion, therefore, will serve to tell how these several unsoundnesses may be detected, and suspicions confirmed upon examination. Bog and Bono Spavin Hock Diseases. Bog spavin is a more or less serious inflammation of the hock joint. It is a round, smooth swelling in front of the hock, just a little to the inside. By pressing it it may be moved around that is, from the outside to the inside of the hock. A bog spavin may be caused by a sprain, or may result from hereditary weakness. On young animals it is regarded as somewhat serious; on older horses, unless it lames them, it is not regarded as significant. Recognition of a lione spavin depends upon the; size of the bony growth. It is also recognizi-d by lameness in the horse. Either may exist without: the other that is, a horse may have a spavin and. still not be lame, or he may be lame without a: spavin. A bone spavin is usually found on the inside of the leg just below the base of the hock. Handling a suspicious hock will soon disclose if a spavin is present. Another way of satisfying a suspicion is to hold the hock flexed for about a .minute, and then start the horse off on a trot. If the spavin is present the horse will display a well-defined limp. A bone spavin prevents the flexing of the hock, and necessitates an exaggerated action of the hip. There is also a tendency to drug the toe. Side Bones, Ringbones and Splints. Sidebones are most common in draft horses and are caused by the ossification of the lateral cartilages 111 the hoof. They may or may not cause lameness and for the most part are found on the front feet. The great damage resulting from this injury is that the ossification of the cartilages prevents the expansion and contraction of the heels, consequently limiting the movement and shortening the stride of a horse. Farm horses are seldom made lame by sidebones, but 111 the city, where the animals are always shod and pounding on pavements, the danger is great For this reason city buyers object to horses with sidebones. There are two kinds of ringbones: One may be caused, by excessive concussion upon the bones of normal quality or upon the bones of poor quality. The other is caused by excessive straining 011 the ligaments, resulting from an unbalanced condition within the foot and limb, or due to faulty quality of the. lones Into which the ligaments are inserted. Ringbone may often follow a wound or abscess of the coronet. It Is also classed as a hereditary unsoundness and may result from blows, bruises, sprains or improper shoeing. Splints are small bony growths, something like buttons and may be found on the cannon bone of either the front or hind legs. The are usually found on the inside and are generally not considered blemishes, unless serious enough to cause lameness, which is rarely the case; Splints are considered more detrimental to light than heavy horses. Curb, Thoroughpin and Cocked Ankle. Though a curb may bo called an unsoundness, rarely ever does it cause lameness. It mav be caused by strains duo to heavy hauling or slipping. Horses that have sickle hocks are susceptible to tlds Injury. A swelling appears four or five Inches below the point of the hock over the ligament. It may .be viewed from the side, but if of sufficient size mny be soon from the rear. Treatment consists of application to remove the inflammation. In the first stages blistering or firing may elTect a cure. Tlipronghpin" is not generally considered an unsoundness, though many horsemen look upon it as such. It is a swelling which occurs just above, the hock, between the bone which sticks out and forms a Y and the lione of the leg. There is a hollow place there, and the thoroughpin is a fleshy swelling which fills it. A thoroughpin is loose-that is, it may be pushed from sile to side by the fingers. Blistering, rest and inds and bandages may help, just as they do with bog spavin, which is an ailment on the same order. Cocked ankle may not be a serious ailment, but it may result in other injuries. It causes the pasterns to become almost straight. It may also result in a diseased condition of the fetlock Joint. Hard work and improper shoeing are the causes. It may be remedied by shoeing. In the main, these constitute the most serious and most prevalent unsoundnesses of horses legs and feet. For the; most part, they occur 011 the land feet, and inasmuch as the brunt of the work falls upon the hind legs, the necessity of a horse having good sound legs and feet is readily seen. Since some of these injuries are inherited breeding predisposes the animal to these unsoundnesses there is every reason to believe that they result 111 a heavy discount from the selling price of market and breeding horses thus afflicted. These unsoundnesses are quite prevalent, and a knowledge of them is essential to successful breeding, buying tmd selling.
