158 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



having travelled too far, so as to exhaust the 

 animal. Though this at first seems but 

 trifling, it occasions great pain to the Horse. 

 Here the tar liniment will be found of great 

 benefit, scarcely failing to i-emove the lame- 

 ness in a few days ; but do not forget in all 

 these cases, the warm water bath, and the 

 flannel bandage. 



STRAIN IN THE COFFIN-JOINT. 



Strain in the coffin, as it is termed by far- 

 riers and grooms, is not so common a case as 

 is generally thought to exist, for its being 

 confined partially in the hoof, prevents its 

 beino- subject to those strains which other 

 joints are liable to. 



When a Horse becomes lame, an attentive 

 examination to the feet and coronet should not 

 escape the attentive observer; but if you find 

 heat about the coronet, do not take this for the 

 disease, but only a consequent of the disease. 



The lateral ligaments uniting the small 

 pastern-bone to the coffin-bone, being the ^eat 

 of disease, and not unfrequently ossific matter 

 is secreted, arising from the inllammatlon that 

 proceeds from the strain. To ascertain this, 

 pass your hand carefully down the fetlock- 

 ioint, until you come to two little promi- 

 nences, just above this is the jimction or union 

 of the large and small pastern- bones, and 

 where this disease exists, you viill there find 

 considerable beat, and on pressure tlie Horse 

 will exhibit considerable pain and uneasiness. 

 These strains have not been discovered, or at 

 least the seat of them, until of late years, 

 which I claim the merit of to myself 



For the treatment of which, bleed in the 

 pastern vein, or probably what will be more 

 convenient, take blood from the foot: previous 

 10 which immerse the foot in hot water for at 



least half an hour, changing the water as it 

 becomes cool ; after which apply the mild 

 blister ointment, as directed in the list of 

 medicines. Should this prove ineff'ectual, you 

 must have recourse to firing, which See at 

 the head of this article. 



STRAIN OF THE ROUND BONE. 



The old farriers almost (as they say in Corn- 

 wall,) "one and all," attribute lameness behind 

 to strain in tlie round-bone, or stKle, just as 

 their fancy leads them to favour one or the 

 other. However, sometimes the ligaments of 

 this joint become injured by violence ; a Horse 

 in a narrow stall may injure himself, either 

 by turning round, or by getting up, or laying 

 down ; and I have known some so much in- 

 jured, that what with their exertions in getting 

 up, and the narrowness of the stall, have con- 

 siderably injured themselves in making an 

 eti'ort to rise, so that the ligaments of tne 

 articulation-bone of the thigh with the pelvis, 

 becomes strained. 



He.'e, for the treatment, do not employ 

 cither blister or setons, for the deep-sealed 

 situation of the injury prevents this mode of 

 treatment being of but little avail, and if you 

 fire over the part, you then have a confirmed 

 blemish ; therefore, use the following: 



Take Tartar emetic - 1 dram. 

 Hogs lard - - 1 oz. 



Rub well together, and apply to the parts 

 aff'ected, morning and night, until pimples 

 arise, when desist. Apply a little hog's lard 

 occasionally, to make the parts supple. 



STRAIN OF THE STIFLE-JOINT. 



Injury or strain of the stifle-joint frequently 

 occurs from the Horse slipping suddenly oui- 



