194 



ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



How TO Examine a Sore Back. 



Sore backs Sore backs may be classified into those affecting the ridge of the 

 classified, back-bone, viz., the withers and spine, and those occurring on the skin 

 covering the muscles which lie on the top of the ribs. To put it in another 

 way, there are sore backs affecting primarily the bony structures, and 

 others which only affect the soft parts ; the former are incomparably the 

 most severe. 



A very little experience will show that sore backs appear to group 

 themselves in certain definite positions, and these positions are not 

 accidental but the outcome of certain definite causes. 



So marked is this, that with experience it is possible to tell the 

 cause of an injury by its position on the back, and to forecast the 

 part of the saddle which produced it. But the inexperienced should be 

 careful to avoid this system, as there are few things so deceptive as to 

 judge by the eye alone the position on the back which any portion of 

 the saddle lies opposite to. No one can be convinced of the difficulty 

 without previously making a simple observation. 



Take a horse with no saddle on and mark on the back with a dab 

 of wet pipe-clay the position of the rear arch where it rests on the side 

 bar ; or the position the stirrup leather passes through, or indicate 

 on the side the place where the two girth straps meet or the shoe case 

 rests. 

 To It is astonishing how large the error will be when the saddle is put on 



determine the back and the actual spot compared with the suggested one. 

 position of yi^g j-ule, therefore, is never to guess at the cause of a sore back, or 

 order alterations to be made in a saddle without seeing it on, and 

 convincing oneself that no error in position exists. 



Here is a table showing the causes of sore back, which should be 

 read in conjunction with fig. 36, where the position of the injuries is 

 given. 

 Injuries to Dealing first with injuries on the ridge of the spine : 



ridge of I. A low arch or numnah resting on the withers, fig. 36, No. i. 



^P'"^- 2. A narrow arch compressing the withers, fig. 36, No. 2. 



3. A seat resting on the spine, fig. 36, No. 3. 

 ^. An injury through men riding thin horses bare-back. No. 4. 



5. Rear pack touching the spine, or the loose end ot a baggage 



strap or buckle. In plain or Colonial saddles it means a rear 

 arch resting on the spine, fig. 36, No. 5. 



6. In the position No. 3 occurs an injury in connection with 



the roller worn with a blanket. The injury is invariably 



cause, see 

 the saddle 



