SPAVIN-BLOOD
—is a preternatural distension of the vein which runs down the inside of a horse's hock, forming a soft and elastic (or puffy) enlargement, commonly occasioning weakness, if not lameness, of the joint. They are in general produced by sudden twists or strains, in short turns with loads, either in riding or drawing; and not unfrequently by too rapid turning in narrow stalls. The cure is frequently attempted by strong spirituous saturnine repellents, or powerful restringents, with a compress and bandage firmly fixed upon the part: these methods, however, seldom afford more than temporary relief. The former mode of operating, by incision, and instrumental extirpation, is in present practice entirely laid aside; a repetition BLISTER, or slightly FIRING, being the only means relied on to ensure certain obliteration.
SPAVIN-BONE
.—The defect so called, is an enlargement on the outside of the hock, originating in a gristly or cartilaginous protrusion, which increases gradually to a callosity, and ultimately to a perfect ossification as hard as the bone itself. In its early state, but little limping or impediment to action is observed; but as it advances in progress, the lameness becomes proportionally perceptible. A bone-spavin is never known to submit to liquid applications, or solvents of any description; repeated BLISTERINGS, and substantial FIRING, seem the only means by which the enlargement and its painful irritability can be reduced.
SPAYED BITCH
,—is a bitch upon whom an operation has been performed, by which she is deprived the power of generating a farther progeny. An incision being made in the flank, midway between the hip-bone and the belly, the ovaries are extracted through the orifice, and separated from the parts to which they were united: these being returned, the wound is stitched up, and heals in a few days, (if performed by a judicious practitioner,) without farther trouble or inconvenience.
SPEED
—is sportingly applicable to HORSE, HOUND, or GREYHOUND; and upon this depends (in a great degree) the estimation in which they are held. It is customary to say, such a horse has great action, or he is in possession of the gift of going. This is, however, considered applicable only to excellent TROTTERS and hacknies upon the road. Speed is always used in a superior sense, and intended to convey an idea of the greatest rapidity of which the animal is capable, and which enhances his value in proportion to his qualifications. In the art of TRAINING for the TURF, there are ambiguities of such magnitude, that it is averred by those who have made the practical part their study, that one training-groom (from judgment, experience, and observation) shall bring a horse to the post full half a distance better than another, although their speed was considered equal when placed under the racing management of their different superintendants. This is admitted so much, and so truly, an incontrovertible fact, that TRAINING-GROOMS have their lights and shades of reputation and celebrity, in an equal degree with the most eminent artists in the universe. Jockies also are admitted to possess their different degrees of excellence, and to so very great and discriminating a nicety, that when MATCHES are lost by some lengths, and for large sums, offers are frequently made to run the match over again for the same money, or to double the STAKES, provided the WINNING JOCKEY is permitted to ride the losing horse. Thus speed is not always the same, but is evidently dependent upon contingencies, which the utmost human circumspection cannot always either foresee or prevent. The increase of speed with RACE HORSES in this country, is very readily admitted to have been great during the last fifty years; and this is impartially attributed to the introduction of, and judicious crosses from, the Arabian blood with the best bred mares of our own: although the effect of these experiments were held in great doubt for some years, but are now universally acknowledged to have exceeded the utmost expectation, and cannot be supposed to extend much farther.
There are two modes of trial for SPEED, according to the present reformed mode of English racing: the one is to run a mile, which is termed running for SPEED; the other, of going off at SCORE, and absolutely racing the whole four miles, which is called running for speed and bottom. Flying Childers, whose speed was almost proverbial, went one third of a mile in twenty seconds. Firetail and Pumpkin ran a mile in a few seconds more than a minute and a half. Childers ran the distance of four miles in six minutes and forty-eight seconds, carrying nine stone, two pounds; he made a leap of thirty feet upon level ground; and he covered a space of twenty-five feet at every stroke when racing. It was formerly known that any horse who could run four miles in eight minutes, would prove a WINNER of PLATES: this is, however, very materially refined, by judicious crosses in blood, or improvements in training; as Bay Malton ran four miles over York in seven minutes, forty-three seconds and a half. Eclipse ran the same distance over York in eight minutes with twelve stone, though going only at his rate, without any inducement to speed.
The means by which the wonderful velocity of the greyhound can be ascertained are but few: there are, however, well authenticated instances upon record; and as they are again quoted in Mr. Daniels "Rural Sports," are entitled to credibility. In February, 1800, a hare was darted before a brace of greyhounds in Lincolnshire, and upon the distance being measured from her form to where she was killed, it proved upwards of four miles in a direct line; but there having been several turns, as well as some oblique running, during the course, it must have increased the length considerably: this ground was run over in the space of twelve minutes; and the hare fell dead before the greyhounds touched her; which serves to demonstrate the speed and strength of the former. It is known that horses are more distrest (if they keep up) in a moderate COURSE than in a long CHASE; of which an instance lately occurred in the neighbourhood of Bottisham, in Cambridgeshire, from whence the hare being started, took away for the Six Mile Bottom; and although two-and-twenty horses went off with the greyhounds, only one could make a gallop at the conclusion of the course. The hare (who had reached within fifty yards of the covert) dropped dead before the greyhounds; and they were so exhausted, that it was found necessary to bleed them to promote their recovery.