Sprain or Clap in the Back-Sinew. 29 



Itig^ parts, they do not usually rupture their fleshy fibres, but break 

 their tendons, or even an intervening bone, as in the instance of 

 Tuptured Tendo Achilles or fractured knee pan," yet I am strongly 

 inclined to believe that the rupture of the back-sinew in Horses, is a 

 very rare occurrence indeed ; although I am far from denying the 

 possibility of such a circumstance taking place. About ten years 

 ago I saw an instance of the fracture of both Pastern Bones, and 

 also of the coffin bone, (which latter was crushed into three or four 

 pieces,) in consequence of leaping a Horse, in the Pha?nix Park 

 near Dublin. 



In this instance, although three bones Were fractured, the Ten- 

 don was not ruptured. In fact, the ordinary case of what is called 

 a Clap or Sprain in the back-sinew of Horses, is attended neither 

 with a rupture of the Tendon, nor its sheath, even with a partial 

 rupture of any fibres of the Tendon. For the mischief which is 

 inflicted is usually confined to the strong Fibres, which tie the ten- 

 dons firmly down to their proper situations, and which in conse- 

 quence of too rapid or too powerful actions of the muscles are not 

 only torn by the violence; but the tearing of these, is sometimes 

 accompanied with a noise so loud as to be distinctly heard by the 

 by-standers. — In Horses after severe injuries of this kind, the part 

 becomes violently and suddenly swelled, the skin is extremely hot 

 and painful to the touch on pressure, and the animal in those in- 

 stances, stands instinctively in that posture which he finds most 

 easy to the injured limb ; in other word&he ele\ates the heel through 

 fear of encountering the pain, which he finds attends every at- 

 tempt to bring it to the ground. In cases where the pain and in- 

 P.ammation arc very violent, he merely rests the weight of the 



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