CURB 533 



often are inflicted upon this joint in hunting, leaving little evidence exter- 

 nally, so that it is almost always doubtful whether the injury is the result 

 of a blow or strain. The sijm^ytoms are a swelling and tenderness of the 

 joint, which can be ascertained by a careful examination ; and on trotting 

 the horse, there is manifested a difficulty or stiifness in drawing forward the 

 hind-leg under the belly. Treatment. — Physicking in the early stage, together 

 with hot fomentations to the part, continued every hour until the heat sub- 

 sides. After a few days, if the joint is still painful, a large blister should 

 be applied, or a seton should be inserted in the skin adjacent. 



The hock itself is liable to strain, independently of the peculiar accident 

 known as " curb." When it occurs, there is some heat of the part, with 

 more or less lameness, and neither spavin, thoroughpin, nor curb to account 

 for them. The injury is sometimes severe, and is known as " sprung " hock, 

 or trifling, and relieved by fomentations for a day or two, followed by cold 

 lotions, as prescribed for strain of the back sinews. 



CURB 



By a reference to page 425, it will be seen that the lower part of the 

 posterior surface of the os calcis is firmly united to the cuboid and external 

 metatarsal bone by two strong ligamentous bands, called the calcaneo- 

 cuboid and calcaneo-metatarsal ligaments. The centre of these ligaments is 

 about seven or eight inches below the point of the hock, and when a soft 

 but elastic swelling suddenly makes its appearance there, it may with 

 certainty be asserted that a " curb " has been thrown out. The accident 

 occurs somewhat suddenly ; but the swelling and inflammation do not 

 always show themselves until after a night's rest, when the part is generally 

 enlarged, hot, and tender. The precise extent of the strain is of little 

 consequence ; for whatever its nature, the treatment should be sufficiently 

 active to reduce the ligaments to their healthy condition. Some horses 

 have naturally the head of the external small metatarsal bone unusually 

 large, and the hock so formed that there is an angle between the large 

 metatarsal bone and the tarsus, leaving a prominence, which, however, is 

 hard and bony, and not soft and elastic, as is the case with curb. Such 

 hocks are generally inclined to throw out curbs : but there are many 

 exceptions, and some of the most suspicious-looking joints have been known 

 to stand sound for years. Curbs are seldom thrown out by very old 

 horses, and usually occur between the commencement of breaking-in and 

 the seventh or eighth year, though they are not unfrequently met with in 

 the younger colt, being occasioned by his gambols over hilly ground. The 

 treatment should at first be studiously confined to a reduction of the inflam- 

 mation; any attempt to procure absorption till this is effected being injurious 

 in the extreme. If there is much heat in the part, the corn should be 

 removed, and a dose of physic given as soon as practicable. The curb should 

 then be kept wet (by means of a bandage lightly applied with the lotion 

 recommended for capped hocks), and this should be continued until the 

 inflammation is entirely gone. During this treatment, in bad cases, a 

 patten shoe should be kept on, so as to keep the hock as straight as possible, 

 and thus take the strain off the ligaments which are affected. After the 



