SPRAIN OF THE BACK-SINEWS 259 



a mucous fluid to prevent friction ; but when tlie horse has been 

 over-worked, or put to sudden or violent exertion, the tendon 

 presses upon the dehcate membrane hning the sheath, and in- 

 flammation is produced. A difi^erent fluid is then thro^vn out, 

 which coagulates, and adhesions are formed between the tendon 

 and the sheath, and the motion of the limb is more difficult and 

 painful. At other times, from violent or long-continued exertion, 

 some of the fibres which confine the tendons are ruptured. A 

 slight injury of this nature is called a sprain of the back-sinews 

 or tendons ; and, when it is more serious, the horse is said to have 

 broken down. It should be remembered, however, that the ten- 

 don can never be sprained, because it is inelastic and incapable 

 of extension ; and the tendon, or its sheath, are scarcely ever 

 ruptured, even in what is called breaking down. The first injury 

 is confined to inflammation of the sheath, or rupture of a few of 

 the attaching fibres. This inflammation, however, is often very 

 great, the pain intense, and the lameness excessive. The anguish 

 expressed at every bending of the limb, and the local swelling 

 and heat, will clearly indicate the seat of injury. 



In every serious afiection of this kind, care should be taken 

 that the local inflammation does not produce general disturbance 

 of the system ; and, therefore, the horse should be bled and phys- 

 icked. The bleeding may be at the toe, by which an important 

 local, as well as general, eflect will be produced. The vessels of 

 the heart will be relieved, while fever will be prevented. [For 

 directions for bleeding at the toe, see Art. " Bleeding," p. 190.] 



As a local application, no hot farrier's oil should come near the 

 part, but the leg should be well fomented with warm water two 

 or three times in the day, and half an hour at each time. Be- 

 tween the fomentations, the leg should be enclosed in a poultice 

 of linseed-meal. Any herb that pleases the owner may be added 

 to the fomentation, or vinegar or Goulard's extract to the poultice ; 

 for the beneficial effect of both depends simply on the warmth of 

 the water and the moisture of the poultice. All stimulating ap- 

 plications will infallibly aggravate the mischief. 



The horse beginning to put his foot better to the ground, and 

 to bear pressure on the part, and the heat having disappeared, the 

 object to be accomplished is changed. Recurrence of the mflam- 

 mation must be prevented, the enlargement must be got rid of, 

 and the parts must be strengthened. The two latter purposes 

 cannot be better effected than by using an elastic bandage-, — one 

 of thin flannel will be the best. This will sustain and support 

 the limb, while by few means are the absorbents sooner induced 

 to take up the effused coagulable matter of which the swelling is 

 composed, than by moderate pressure. If the bandage is kept 

 wet with vinegar — to each pint of which a quarter of a pint of 



