Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-06-03
OF HORSEFLES5II
HOW TO DETECT DEFECTS IN
5 ANIMALS OFFERED FOR SALE.

okdt GlSCdSCs
The ills which horsefiesh Is heir t
form an important part in the marke
IYalue Of mans faithful friend. These
Ellis, too, are Of quite a numerous ant
Nstrongly marked character, being par
and parcel of the anatomy Of d c6nsid
serable percentage of the equine fam
9ily. A perfect horse physically j:
enough of a rarity to cause commen'
sand much boasting on the part Of his
Owner, while the perfect horse in form
action, manners and disposition is an
creature to his fortunate
master.
Il In the regular sales conducted in
horse centers the dealers become sc
expert in judging the animals that
their parts are passed upon with light
hing rapidity as the offerings appear
in the ring to be sold at the hand, or
rather, at the mouth-of the auction
eer. A subject Is then listed as hay-
ing this or that blemlsh. or is simply
ssold to the halter" at the buyers risk.
Putting aside the blemishes OF a
korse in disposition or training, which
may properly be called blemishes in
Ihe abstract-like viciousncss, balki-
ness or awkwardness-ald looking
solely to the deformitics which mar
fgure and concrete usefulness Of the
four-legged servant, it is found that
one of the Most common blemishcs is
the splint-a small, bony formation
81 button, more or less clonSated.which
Is found usually just below the knee
On the inside of one or both legs, anu
lying between the ,wo main bones OF
the forelegs.
1.-THE splint is minor blemish that
Is usually an objection in that It mars
the smoothness of the leg in the eye
81 the horseman. 1t is interesting
teo, as a study in evolution, many re-
garding it as merely a rudimentary
remnant Of what was once an extra
member in the prehistoric horse-the
horse of early creation.
Quite certain it is that in number Of
strains Of the horse family the splint
Isl regularly inherited and appears On
nearly every foal A spllnt can be
reduced all or in part by early manip-
ulation or later surgery.
Zone Of the first blemishes looked for
by the horse buyer is the SPAWN, COM
monty called lack" The hind leg
Isl the home Of the SPAWN, and then
there is the "bog" SPAWN which is not
OF, bone. The former is the bad one,
and as a rule makes the horse Iame.
The spawn comes on slowly and in
creases in size ana it's power to Grip
pis its possessor as time passes. 1t
isiows on the hook, inside and just be-
InW the big joint. In rare cases it ap-
l-rs. on the outside. Cures are
"a bony growth sometimes appears
between the fetlock and the hoof Oh
the horse and is known as the ring
bone. 1t may be scarcely apparent, or
it may come to entirely fill up that
space with a rough, unnatural growth
of bony substance. the blemlsh is
a bad one, quite incurable, and makes
its victim lame. The hind feet are
more commonly affected than the
front.
A little lower, next TO the hoof, OF
tener in front than behind, is the seat
of sidebone, a ble!nish less familiar
to the ordinary eye than any Of the
foregoing. 1t has come into notice IN
this country more conspicuously
with the advent Of the heavy draught
breeds. Heavy weight and work on
hard pavements are conducive to the
sidebone, which is not more nor less
than the upper and new growth OF hoof
rendered tender and diseased. IN ex7
treme cases it leads to the gutter
when it renders the worker useless
Taken in it's early stage, it submits 10
treatment and rest. Pasturage often
puts the hoof back to its norman
growth and effects cure.
A disease that ends in queer grown
on the very poll or top OF the head
of the horse is called poll evil. Inc
trouble is quickly observed, owing tc
the habit of the horse in stretchlns
his neck straight out in 'front.' aho
makes a. pitiable spectacle of the pa,
tient. There is little left to do for the
Door creature except TO put it out OF It's
misery.
A common blemish is the curb
rounding of the bone of the hind leg
inst below the back joint of the hook
This formation does not inJure the ser
yiceableness of the driver appreciabiy
If patiently rubbed when it first ap
nears the curb can be reduced, th'
bone absorbing the growth, if not TOT
prominent.
A wind-broken horse is one that ma
been permanently injured in breathing
power by overdriving. Violent exercis
reveals the weakness to the horsemal
who listens to the breathing. IN eX
treme cases anyone can hear the brut
roar block away.
In purchasing a horse the careles
man may neglect to note whether 0
not the animal is deaf; his eye may no
be expert enough to sea that the OF
fering is "swayback," is notched Gu
where the collar rests, has blistere
shoulders, string halt" so-calle
CAPPED hocks," is q cribber-as he Wi
find out when the purchase is take
home and eats up the managers.
Overheating may bring on the DIN
staggers, and overdriving and sudde
cooling off may develuo sweeney
soreness and stiffness of shoulders an
front legs that cripples a horse SUI
ficiently TO ruin him as member
good standing among his kind.
The hcaves come on as years go b.
like asthma in man, and is incurabl
The ailment is not necessarily fat;
and considerable service may be e.
acted from Old Dobbin if care is exc
/ o;eed in driving slowly and in feedln