340 CHAPTJOt 44. 



inflammation is in this case necessarily deposited and confined in tli6 

 interior of the leg, it is certain that pain will be quickly evinced (if the 

 ligament is really injured), when pressure is applied to the seat of injury. 

 With this view the leg should be lifted up and bent back, until the foot 

 nearly touches the knee. In this position the ligament will be most 

 easily felt, because the tendons, which pass over it and bind it down, are 

 then relaxed. 



This ligament, it will be recollected, commences at the back of the 

 knee, and is inserted into the Flexor perforans not quite half way 

 between the knee and the fetlock. The seat of sprain is usually either 

 in its upper half (c), or at its junction with the flexor, rather than in the 

 middle. 



684. Sprain of the superior Sesamoideal ligament, or true Suspensory 



ligament. 



The symptoms of lameness arising from sprain of the superior sesa- 

 moideal ligament are similar to those arising from sprain of the Meta- 

 carpal ligament. 



This ligament (D) lies anterior to the Flexor tendons and to the meta- 

 carpal ligament. On this account external signs, though not altogether 

 wanting, are not very apparent. The best mode of detecting any injury 

 is to lift up the leg, and then when the tendons are relaxed, the ligament 

 may be got between the fingers, and if there is any inflammation in it, 

 pain will be evinced on the application of pressure, and some swelling 

 and increased heat will be felt. 



There is seldom much external swelling, because the ligament is closely 

 bound down by the tendons ; but in severe cases some enlargement may 

 be noticed on both sides, somewhat anterior to that which arises from 

 injuries of the Flexor tendons. The seat of sprain is usually just above 

 the bifurcation of the ligament. It will be recollected that this ligament 

 commences at the back of the knee, and bifurcates (d) a little above the 

 pasterns, and is inserted into the sesamoid bones (Plate 27). 



The branches (y) of the ligament after its bifurcation are apt to be 

 sprained, especially the inner branch. Here of course any injury is 

 apparent to the eye. In old hunters, we often find that the fibres of these 

 branches from repeated strains have become of a semi-cartilaginous 

 nature, and in some instances have been partly converted into bone, and 

 in consequence the parts feel hard and raised. 



685. Cases of doubt. 



In all cases of doubt, as to whether the heat and swelling in any par- 

 ticular case arise from injury of the tendon or ligament, or merely from 

 injury to its sheath, or perhaps only from an ordinary blow or such like 

 cause, the safer plan is to rest the horse and foment the part, until by 

 rapid and complete disappearance of all symptoms of mischief we can be 

 quite sure, that there neither is nor has been injury to any of those 

 important and but slowly repaired structures. 



