SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT ^FETLOCK GPuOGGINESS. 266 



INJURIES TO THE SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT. 



The suspensory ligament is sometimes strained and even rup- 

 tured by extraordinary exertion. The sessamoids, which in their 

 natural state are suspended by it, and from which- function its 

 name is derived, are in the latter case let down, and the fetlock 

 almost touches the ground. This is generally mistaken for rup- 

 ture of the flexor tendon ; but one circumstance will sufficiently 

 demonstrate that it is the suspensory ligament which is concerned, 

 viz. : that the horse is able to bend his foot. Rupture of this lig 

 ament is a bad, and almost desperate case. The horse is frequently 

 lame for life, and never becomes perfectly sound. Keeping him 

 altogether quiet, bandaging the leg, and putting on a high-heeled 

 shoe, will afibrd the most probable means of relief. 



The common injury to this ligament is sprain, indicated by 

 lameness, and swelling, and heat, more or less severe in propor- 

 tion as the neighboring parts are involved. This will sometimes 

 yield to rest and cooling treatment ; but if the cape is obstinate, 

 *t will be necessary to have recourse to firing. 



THE FETLOCK. 



The fetlock-joint is a very complicated one, and frr^m the stress 

 which is laid on it, and its being the principal seat of motion be- 

 low the knee, it is particularly subject to injury. There are not 

 many cases of sprain of the back-sinew that are not ar^corapanied 

 by inflammation of the ligaments of this joint ; and numerous 

 supposed cases of sprain higher up are simple affection? of the fet- 

 lock. It requires a great deal of care, and some experience, to 

 distinguish the one from the other. The heat about the part, and 

 the point at which the horse least endures the pressure of the 

 finger, will be the principal guides. Occasionally, by the appli- 

 cation of cooling lotions, the inflammation may be subdued, but, 

 at other times, the horse sutlers dreadfully, and is unable to .stand 

 A serious affection of the fetlock-joint demands treatment more 

 prompt and severe than that of the sheaths of the tendons. 



GROGGINESS. 



The peculiar knuckling of the fetlock-joint, and the tottering ol 

 the whole of the fore-leg, known by the name of grogginess, and 

 which is so often seen in old and over- worked horses, is seldom an 

 affection of either the fetlock or the pastern-joints simply. In 

 deed it is difficult to fix on any particular joint, unless it is that 

 .which is deep in the foot, and where the flexor tendon runs over 



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