214 Journal of Agriculture. [8 April, 1907 



The horse should he led in a halter or snaffle bridle at a pace the slower 

 the better, so long as it is a trot, and with tlie halter or rein held loosely, 

 so that the free movement of the head and neck may not be interfered 

 with ajnd that it may not be inclined or pulled to one side, in which case, 

 as previously pointed out, a confusing " bridle lameness " may be ap- 

 parent. A short, tight hold of the rein or the use of a curb bit enables 

 the groom, if so inclined, to make the horse toss his head and prevent 

 him from exhibiting that " rwidding " of the head which is so helpful in 

 locating the lame limb. Like disadvantages attend the riding of a horse 

 at a canter, amble, or jerky trot, or continuously on the praince and 

 dance, and such like "tricks of trade"; besideSj the rider or groom 

 may, by exciting the animal, niggling at the bit or "catching him bv 

 the head," cause a lame horse to go comparatively sound for a time. 



Examination for detection of lameness during movement should be 

 made on hard ground with a smooth, e\eni surface, level or with a slight 

 incline. A macadamized road is admirable. In cases of doubt, a 

 change to soft ground is advantageous, in that, a marked amendment of 

 a gait previouslv considered suspicious is eloquent ; sometimes also the 

 lighter impress of the lame foot on soft ground can be distinctly observed. 



Sometimes lameness is only develo}>ed on resting after smart exercise, 

 and at Irish horse fairs it is the iinvariable custom tO' give the animal a 

 smart gallop or other severe w'ork, and then allow him to rest quiet an 

 hour or so before commencing an examination for lameness. 



To ascertain w'hich is the lame limb, the horse should be taken at an 

 easy jog-trot to and from the person inspecting it for a distance of 

 30 \ards or so, and anv halting or faulty steps when being turned should 

 be looked for. If the lameness te in one fore limb, the motion of the 

 head should be observed as the hoTse is approaching, when it will be 

 found to " nod," its descent accompanying the sound limb as the foot 

 strikes the ground. This dropping of the head is especially noticeable 

 in splint and elbow lameness. If lame in one of the hind limbs, the 

 motion of the croup and quarters should be watched, as there is a drop- 

 ping of the sound quarter, while the lame one appears to be raised. In 

 lameness of the hind parts there is less dropping of the head. In shoTt. 

 a lame animal ahuays comes to the ground ivitli more weight on the sound 

 limb than the lame one, and tries to avoid muc'i motion of the part 

 affected on account of the pain consequent on movement. For the same 

 reason, the step of the sound limb is shorter, the animal getting it to the 

 ground as quickly as possible, in oxder that he may be enabled to raise 

 the lame limb without delay and so get relief from the pain of sustaining 

 weight. In other words, he "dwells " perceptibly on the sound limb. 



When lame in both fore limbs the animal may seem to go as if sound, 

 for he has level action. Various devices to deceive are based on this. 

 If a horse is lame on one foot, it is a not uncommon practice among un- 

 scrupulous dealers to pare the other foot close to the quick so as to make 

 l)Oth equally tender in action — " beaning " it is called ; but careful observa- 

 tion will detect a stiffness or want of freedom, shortness of action or 

 " grogginess, " a rolling motion of the body, or other suspicious feature. 

 A horse lame in iDoth fore is apt to pick his hind legs up quickly, giv- 

 ing the impression of jerky action, simulating that of stringhalt. In 

 spavin and in cracked heels and sand-crack l)ehind there is also a " click- 

 ing up " of the limb, which might be mistaken for stringhalt, but which 

 may be distinguished from it bv the fact that the limb is put down again 

 slowly, which is not the case in stringhalt. 



