LEGS OF THE HORSE, THEIR ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES, 



331 



with the toe, letting the heel drop, and sometimes cuts or bruises by a 

 blow across the l)ack of the leg, overreaching, etc. 



How to know It. — Severe lameness will be a prominent symptom, the 

 more so the more important the tendon is in the leg. The suspensory 

 ligaments lie next to the bone, and sprain of them can be felt on either 

 side of the leg according to which branch (the inner or 

 outer) is affected, for sometimes only one, especially the 

 inner, is sprained. When it is the suspensory ligaments 

 that are affected, the swelling will be upon each side near 

 the bone, and not far from the fetlock joint. These liga- 

 ments are the main support of the leg, and when sprained, 

 the lameness is far more severe than when any of the oth 

 ers are affected. 



When the one next to the suspensory ligament is sprained, 

 the swelling w\\\ be on the sides between the latter and the 

 outside tendon. This tendon, next to the suspensory liga- 

 ment, is called the pcrforans. The outside one is the per- 

 foratus, swelling of which is seen on the back of the leg, 

 cui*ved backwards like a bow. Sprain of the latter is of 

 the least importance of any of them, as the damage done 

 is slight, being easily cured, and not causing much lame- 

 ness compared to sprain of the others. 



Sprain of the mctacari)al ligament is next in importance 

 to that of the suspensory ligaments. They are often af- 

 fected in common with the pcrforans. Swelling of it, the 

 metacarpal, is found near the bone just below the knee, but 

 usually extends to all parts immediately surrounding 

 it. 



There will be swelling, heat, pain and soreness ; when 

 the injured spot is touched the horse 'vill rear some- 

 times in his effort to draw the leg from your grasp. In 

 resting the leg he will thrust it forward and cock 

 giving it the appearance of being swollen on the 

 and in walking he will not straighten the fetlock back to its natural posi- 

 tion but will maintain it in the cocked position. If neglected and allowed 

 to become chronic, the tendons contract and hold the fetlock in that posi- 

 tion ever after. 



What to do. — Remove the shoe and replace it with heels raised an inch, 

 to take the strain off the back tendons ; apply hot fomentations to the 

 part as continuously as possible till nearly all the soreness is gone, wrap 

 the leg in a woolen bandage and keep it wet and hot, applying the water 



FLEXOK TEN- 

 D O N S OP 

 FORE LEGS. 



I. The pcrforans. 

 3. The perfora- 

 tus. 3, 4. Ac- 

 cessory muscles. 

 5, 6. "Restrain. 

 ^"S ligaments. 

 7. The pedal 

 cartilage divi- 

 ded. 8. The 

 navicular bone. 



the fetlock, 

 front part, 



