OF FARRIERY. 



153 



It has been customary, to enumerate the 

 different parts most Ukely to suffer from sprain ; 

 therefore, we will not go out of the course, 

 but take them in due order, beginning with 



STRAIN IN THE SHOULDER. 



Strains in the shoulder, formerly called 

 chest, or body founder : in strain in the 

 shoulder, there cannot be the slightest mis- 

 take in discovering it, for when the Horse is 

 put in motion, he makes a circuitous or rotary 

 motion of the leg that is affected, and drags 

 his toe on the ground, in endeavouring to bring 

 it forward ; lie also, (if 1 may be allowed the 

 terra,) appears to hutch up that side altogether, 

 in endeavouringto make a walk of it. Shoulder 

 strains are, therefore, frequently the conse- 

 quence of a side wrench, or slip, by which 

 means, the fore-legs become so widely sepa- 

 rated, that the muscles attaching the fore-leg 

 to the body of the Horse, become so much 

 stretched, or I have no doubt, in some cases, 

 actually ruptured, that the greatest pain is 

 evinced ; the ligamentous attachment also 

 participates in the injury, though if properly 

 observed, the muscle of these parts are of 

 themselves of a peculiar delicate and tender 

 nature, and may easily become ruptured. One 

 of our most celebrated writers considers the 

 Jlexor brachii the part most affected in 

 shoulder strain ; but how he can reconcile this, 

 I am at fault to ascertain, it having so little to 

 do with the shoulder, having a distinct and 

 contrary action to those muscles where we 

 generally find the disease to exist. Shoulder 

 strains do not frequently occur, though grooms 

 and farriers, and other persons about Horses, 

 are often led, from habit, to attribute it to every 

 lameness they do not understand, and the seat 

 of which does not make itself evident almost 



to the blind and uninitiated ; for, on viewing 

 a Horse in front, the muscles of one shoulder 

 will appear wasted. Though this be so 

 evident, it requires more than usual exertioi., 

 to make even intelligent persons believe that 

 the evil did not originate where it does. In 

 all affections of the feet, where there is much 

 pain and lameness, nine times out often, the 

 lameness is placed on the shoulder, and this 

 in consequence of persons not knowing the 

 real seat of disease ; for the Horse m ill draw 

 his fore-legs closer together, the spine of the 

 blade-bone becomes prominent, and the whole 

 substance seems lessened. The origin of this 

 is from inaction, in which case muscles 

 always diminish ; added to which, the pain the 

 animal is continually in, occasions him to give 

 rest to the diseased limb. 



It is very necessary, therefore, to be able 

 accurately to distinguish shoulder strain, and 

 much more difficult to persuade your em- 

 ployer of the situation of lameness ; but if 

 proper attention be paid to the lules before 

 laid down, as to the action of the leg, there will 

 be but little difficulty in at once pronouncino; 

 where the seat of lameness exists. V/hen the 

 Horse is at rest, the limb is generally puslied 

 forwards, the Horse scarcely daring to touch 

 the ground with it, the toe only just resting on 

 the ground, the Horse putting on the appear- 

 ance, as if in the act of lifting up the leg ; by 

 these means, you will be able easily to distin- 

 guish it from diseases of the feet ; for in those 

 cases, the Horse puts his foot straight out, 

 what is called pointing, resting on the entire 

 foot. These symptoms being so entirely 

 different to affections of the feet, I trust my 

 readers will have no difficultv in determining: 

 between the two, especially if they take ihe 

 leg off the ground, and extend it forward as 

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