OF FARRIERY. 



IBfi 



vi'ards, so that the iio;aments become extended 

 lieyond their capacity. It may also arise from 

 kicks or other injuries. Here, in this case, 

 the limb has a peculiar rotatory motion, 

 dragging the limb, as it were, after him, with 

 the greatest pain, and a considerable effort 

 even to move it at all. Sometimes the mus- 

 scles of the thigh are the parts alone injured, 

 and produce the lameness. For treatment, I 

 shall recommend the " tar liniment," which 1 

 have always found to have the desired effect. 

 Should this not succeed, try the mild liquid 

 blister, for which See '' Strains in General." 

 As to firing, do not think of it, the blemish 

 incurred is a stain in the Horse's character 

 ever afterwards. 



ON CURB. 



This affection has, I believe, been generally 

 applied to a partial dislocation of the os 

 calcis; but this is not the case, it being a 

 rupture of the membranes of the sheath of the 

 tendons just passing over the lower end of the 

 metitarsal bones of the hock-joint, which 

 sheath is placed there to strengthen the jiarts, 

 here being the most considerable point of 

 action in the hind extremity. Hence this 

 affection arises so frequently from any sudden 

 action ; from leaps, or where the propelling 

 motion is brought most into use , also rearing, 

 or a sudden slip may produce it. It is fre- 

 quently sudden in its appearance from the 

 above causes. 



Curb may appear without lameness, and 



this from mal-formation of the hock, which is 

 called sickled hocked, though no curb in 

 reality exists. The lameness arising from 

 curb is excessively painful to the Horse, 

 though some writers deny this, but any thesecal 

 rupture cannot possibly occur without giving 

 great pain, as the Horse cannot move without 

 bringing the deceased parts into action. 



For the cure of curb, I know of but one that 

 is effectual, and that is firing. (See Plate for 

 the method of firing.) Many persons object 

 to firing, on account of the blemish it pro- 

 duces ; but I consider this to be nonsense. I 

 can recollect the time that a gentleman would 

 not buy a valuable Horse for hunting, until he 

 had been fired for curb ; and 1 have myself fired 

 many four-year old Horses of high price, that 

 could not be disposed of until this operation 

 had been performed. However, as time rolls 

 over our heads, so custom alters ; but old 

 sportsmen know the value of the actual 

 cautery, especially amongst Horses which 

 have severe work to do, and know well the 

 only remedy. 



The practice at the Royal Veterinary Col- 

 lege is to put on a high heeled shoe, and bathe 

 the hock frequently with cold water, or cold 

 salt and water, but these applications seldom 

 or never succeed ; if not, a seton is passed 

 over the part, which has just as much effect 

 as passing a seton down the fore leg, in order 

 to remove this accident. For feed and medi- 

 cine, I must refer my readers to " Strains iji 

 General." 



