9 Sept., 1907.] Lameness in Horses. 521 



cases when the pain is acute the animal stands with his limb flexed and 

 the toe resting on the ground in order to take the tension off the back part 

 of the hock. When put into motion he advances the limb normally, but 

 flinches when the weight is thrown upon it, and there is a consequent 

 dropping of the opposite quarter. 



Y'v^. loi. Curb. (After Dollar.) 



Treatment. — Blistering with either red mercury or fly blister is 

 usually efficacious. In obstinate cases it may have to be repeated or firing 

 may have to be resorted to. Line firing is most advantageous. Until 

 lameness is completely remo\ed rest should be enjoined and a high-heeled 

 shoe put on. 



CONTRACTED TENDONS AND KNUCKLING 



OVER. 



These two conditions frequently accompany one another and are fairly 

 common in the hind limbs of old horses that have been subject to a lot of 

 wear and tear. Horses used for heavy draught uphill, and half-bred 

 horses with upright pasterns and rourtd fetlocks are the usual subjects. 

 In the first place there is sprain of the back tendons (see page 262) and 

 consequent thickening and contraction. The knuckling over follows on the 

 straightening of the fetlock by the .shortening of the tendons, and is often 

 responsible for stumbling. 



Treatment. — To cut short the tendency to contraction after sprain, 

 line firing of the back tendons Ijetween the knee and fetlock is to be 

 recomm.ended. No beneficial results follow any attempt to stretch the 

 tendons by shoeing with thin heels and keeping the toe long. The object 

 to te aimed at isi rather the relief of the continuous strain on the tendons, 

 and for this purpose high-heeled shoeing should be adopted. 



