STRINGHALT. 139 



Give him salt, freely, every day. Good grooming, rubbing 

 the legs thoroughly, is necessary. 



STRINGHALT. 



This is a peculiar t\Yitcliing-up of one or both of the hind- 

 legs, when the horse is in motion. This awkward motion is 

 generally well known ; but the cause of it is not satisfactorily 

 understood. The peculiar jerking-up of the leg, when the 

 horse only intends to raise it in the ordinary way, corresponds 

 nearer to the action of the limbs of a patient laboring under a 

 mild attack of St. Yitus' dance than any other muscular action 

 of which I am aware. It is evidently a nervous derangement. 

 The animal has power to put the muscles in action, but, for a 

 moment, loses the power of controlling that action, but then 

 regains it again sufficiently to bring the foot down again. It is 

 certainly a derangement of the nerves supplying the unruly 

 muscles which produces it. But it has not been clearly ascer- 

 tained what muscles are thus partially uncontrollable. 



What particular causes w ill bring on an attack have not been 

 pointed out. Stringhalt is unpleasant to the rider, and must 

 certainly interfere with his sureness of foot, and unpleasant to 

 those who see his movement. Yet the serviceableness of the 

 horse may not be greatly impaired. Youatt does not regard 

 stringhalt unsoundness. 



Treatment. — I have but little faith in any treatment for this 

 difficulty. If any would be of use, it would most likely be 

 counter-irritation along the spine, about the small of the back, 

 together with rest, and medicines to strengthen the nerves in- 

 ternally. But as the ailment does not greatly injure the use- 

 fulness of the horse, I can hardly recommend treatment with 

 so little px'ospect of success. 



